Antiproliferative and cytotoxic activity of Geraniaceae plant extracts against five tumor cell lines

AIM: To determine the antiproliferative and cytotoxic activities of Geranium and Erodium species against human cancer and noncancer cell lines, respectively. METHODS: Twenty-one species of Geranium and Erodium were extracted and screened against cancerous and noncancerous human cell lines. RESULTS: In a dose-response manner, G. glaberrimum, G. asphodeloides, E. brandianum and E. leucanthum were able, with variable potency, to inhibit cellular proliferation. Except for E. brandianum, all extracts induced cellular autophagy in tumor cells with similar levels to that of rapamycin; but, only E. brandianum induced cellular apoptosis, likely through Bcl2 and BAX protein expressions. DISCUSSION: This is the first study to report the potential antiproliferative effects of ethanol extracts of several Geraniaceae species.