Toxicity of imidazoles ionic liquid [C₁₆mim]Cl to HepG2 cells

Ionic liquids have garnered increasing attention due to their capacity for low vapor pressure, lack of flammability, designability, good stability, and as a asubstitute for conventional organic solvents. However, their toxicity to various organisms has caused growing concern in recent years. Our study aims to evaluate the toxicity of 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C₁₆min]Cl) to human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells, including cell viability, genotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, cell cycle, and apoptosis-related gene expression. Our results with HepG2 cells suggested that [C₁₆min]Cl inhibited cellular growth, decreased cell viability, induced DNA damage and apoptosis, inhibited superoxide dismutase, decreased glutathione content, increased cellular malondialdehyde levels as well as altering the cell cycle. Moreover, the induction of [C₁₆min]Cl altered the transcription of p53, Bax and Bcl-2, which are critical for controlling cell cycles progression and death, which suggests its involvement with cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by [C₁₆min]Cl in HepG2 cells. Taken together, these results revealed that [C₁₆min]Cl exerted genotoxicity, oxidative stress and induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells; hence, it is not a healthy solvent.