Eleutherine bulbosa bulb extract induces apoptosis and inhibits cell migration by downregulating Sonic hedgehog in human tongue cancer cells: An in vitro study

Eleutherine bulbosa (Mill.) Urb. is a medicinal plant which has long been used to treat cancer. E. bulbosa bulb extract (EBBE) has been reported to show cytotoxicity towards several types of human cancer. However, the cytotoxic effect of EBBE towards tongue cancer cells has not been investigated. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of EBBE towards the viability, apoptosis, and migratory activities of tongue cancer cells. Human oral squamous cell carcinoma (HSC)-3 cells were treated with various concentrations of EBBE for 24 h. The number of viable and apoptotic HSC-3 cells were measured using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and sub-G1 assay, respectively. The migratory activities of HSC-3 cells were assessed using scratch and transwell assay. Sonic hedgehog (SHH) expression was measured using immunoblotting. Upon EBBE treatment, apoptotic HSC-3 cells were significantly higher in a concentration-dependent manner (P <0.05). Meanwhile, viability, migratory activities, and migrated HSC-3 cell number were significantly lower in a concentration-dependent manner (P <0.05). The SHH expression levels in EBBE-treated HSC-3 cells were also lower in a concentration-dependent manner. EBBE reduces HSC-3 cell viability through apoptosis and inhibits its migratory activities by downregulating SHH expression.