Nerolidol, bioactive compound suppress growth of HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells through cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis

Background: Colon cancer is the most prevalent cancer and causes the highest cancer-associated mortality in both men and women globally. It has a high incidence and fatality rate, which places a significant burden on the healthcare system. Objective The current work was performed to understand the beneficial roles of nerolidol on the viability and cytotoxic mechanisms in the colon cancer HCT-116 cells. Method: ology The MTT cytotoxicity assay was done to investigate the effect of nerolidol at different doses (5-100 µM) on the HCT-116 cell viability. The impacts of nerolidol on ROS accumulation and apoptosis was investigated using DCFH-DA, DAPI, and dual staining assays, respectively. The flow cytometry analysis was performed to study the influence of nerolidol on the cell cycle arrest in the HCT-116 cells. Results The outcomes of the MTT assay demonstrated that nerolidol at different doses (5-100 µM) substantially inhibited the HCT-116 cell viability with an IC50 level of 25 µM. The treatment with nerolidol appreciably boosted the ROS level in the HCT-116 cells. The findings of DAPI and dual staining revealed higher apoptotic incidences in the nerolidol-exposed HCT-116 cells, which supports its ability to stimulate apoptosis. The flow cytometry analysis demonstrated the considerable inhibition in cell cycle at G0/G1 phase in the nerolidol-exposed HCT-116 cells. Conclusion Our research showed that nerolidol can inhibit the cell cycle, increase ROS accumulation, and activate apoptosis in HCT-116 cells. In light of this, it may prove to be a potent salutary candidate to treat colon cancer.