Cytotoxic and apoptotic potentials of four native apricot varieties from Malatya, Turkey: A comprehensive evaluation

In recent years, the role of functional foods in addressing various health issues, including cancer, has gained significant attention. Among these, the cytotoxic and apoptotic properties of Malatya apricots hold particular interest for their potential therapeutic benefits. This study focused on exploring the effects of methanol and acetone extracts from four popular Malatya apricot varieties-Hacıhaliloğlu, Hasanbey, Kabaaşı, and Soğancı-on cancer cell lines. The extracts were derived from apricots in their raw, ripe, and dried form, which can be consumed in three ways, and were tested for their cytotoxic and apoptotic activities against MCF-7 and Caco-2 cell lines using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide, wound scratch, and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining tests. Additionally, we assessed the total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the extracts. Our findings revealed that the acetone extracts of dried and raw Kabaaşı apricots exhibited the lowest IC₅₀ values against the MCF-7 cell line over 24 and 48 h, with values of 3.9 and 0.5 mg/mL, respectively. Similarly, in the Caco-2 cell line, the dried Kabaaşı apricot extracts showed the lowest IC₅₀values of 3.59 and 1.95 mg/mL for the same time frames. In the wound scratch assay, utilizing apricot extracts at their lowest IC₅₀ values revealed significant differences in cell migration inhibition between treated and control groups. For Caco-2 cells, the control group's wound closure was around 70%, whereas apricot extract treatment resulted in 10%-30% opening after 24 h, indicating a strong antiproliferative effect. Similarly, in MCF-7 cells, the control group showed approximately 80% wound closure, in contrast to the 0%-12% opening observed in cells treated with apricot extract, further emphasizing the extracts' potent inhibitory impact on cell proliferation. Additionally, morphological evidence of cell death and apoptosis was observed in the images obtained through the AO/EB staining method, conducted to showcase the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the apricot extract. Apricot extracts consistently demonstrated strong cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on both Caco-2 and MCF-7 cell lines, underscoring Malatya apricots' potential as a functional food component with promising therapeutic properties against cancer.