Ayşegül OZTURK, Arzuhan CETINDAG, Fatih YULAK, Sebahattin KARABULUT, Ahmet Kemal FILIZ
Kastamonu Medical Journal - 2026;6(3):254-262
Aims: Galium Aparine L. (G. aparine) has been traditionally used as a medicinal herb for the treatment of cancer, fever, hypertension. This study aimed to evaluate the potential anticancer effects of G. aparine in HT-29 colon cancer cells and to investigate the molecular mechanisms that may be involved in these effects. Methods: The LC/Q-TOF/MS analysis was employed to conduct a qualitative phytochemical characterization of G. aparine. To evaluate the potential anticolorectal cancer effects of G. aparine, HT-29 cells were pretreated with G. aparine. Then, cell viability was examined by XTT assay, cell cycle distribution by flow cytometry and cell death by annexin V assay. In addition, the effect of G. aparine treatment on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 (ERK-1), ERK-2, and apoptotic markers caspase-3 and Bcl-2-associated agonist of cell death (BAD) levels were investigated by ELISA method. Results: Following treatment with G. aparine, HT-29 cells exhibit increased apoptosis and cell cycle inhibition at the G0/G1 phase, as evidenced by the Annexin V binding assay (p<0.05). Moreever, G. aparine treatment significantly decreased EGFR and ERK-1 levels (p<0.05), while the reduction in ERK-2 level was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The apoptotic impact of G. aparine was additionally verified through ELISA assays evaluating the levels of BAD and caspase 3 (p<0.05). Conclusion: Taken together, the results demonstrate that G. aparine extract exerts significant anti-colorectal cancer effects by promoting apoptosis and inhibiting EGFR/ERK signaling.
