Bioactive Cytotoxicity of Panax Ginseng Chloroform Extract Against the THP-1 Leukemia Cell Line

Authors

  • Jenan M. Ghani
  • Intisar R. Sharba kufa university /faculty of science
  • Jinan M. AL-Zahid

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36320/ajb/v18.i2.23134

Keywords:

Bioactive Fatty Acids, Anticancer Cytotoxicity, Leukemia THP-1 Cell Line , Hexadecanoic Acid, Tetrahydropyran, and Chloroform-Ginseng Extract

Abstract

Given the therapeutic challenges in Acute Monocytic Leukemia (AML), this study aimed to isolate and evaluate the bioactive compounds from Panax ginseng chloroform extract with cytotoxic potential against THP-1 AML cells. The extract was fractionated via HPLC, and two major peaks were isolated and identified using GC-MS as the fatty acid derivatives hexadecanoic acid and tetrahydropyran-Z-10-dodecenoate. The cytotoxic effects of these isolated compounds and the total extract on THP-1 cells were quantified using the MTT assay, with dose-response curves analyzed via the logistic model to determine IC₅₀ values. Morphological changes were documented microscopically. In results both isolated fatty acids exhibited potent, concentration-dependent cytotoxicity. Hexadecanoic acid induced cell death ranging from 6.6% ± 0.90 at 6.25 μg/mL to 80.11% ± 0.96 at 200 μg/mL. Similarly, tetrahydropyran-Z-10-dodecenoate demonstrated significant activity, with cytotoxicity reaching 75.01% ± 1.39% at the highest concentration. The total extract showed an IC₅₀ in the range of 25–35 μg/mL. Treatment with either compound resulted in profound loss of cellular integrity and reduced viability, consistent with induction of apoptotic cell death. The pronounced anti-leukemic activity of the P. ginseng extract is directly mediated by its specific fatty acid components—hexadecanoic acid and tetrahydropyran-Z-10-dodecenoate. In conclusion these bioactive agents function as the primary cytotoxic principles, causing dose-dependent cell death and morphological damage in THP-1 leukemia cells. These findings highlight these ginseng-derived fatty acids as promising molecular scaffolds for the development of targeted therapies against acute monocytic leukemia.

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Published

2026-08-01

How to Cite

Ghani, J., Sharba, I., & AL-Zahid, J. (2026). Bioactive Cytotoxicity of Panax Ginseng Chloroform Extract Against the THP-1 Leukemia Cell Line. Al-Kufa University Journal for Biology, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.36320/ajb/v18.i2.23134

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