Induction of apoptosis in lung carcinoma cells (A549) by hydromethanolic extract of Acorus calamus L

Acorus calamus L. of the Acoraceae family referred to as 'Sweet flag' is a well-known plant used to treat fever, epilepsy, liver, and renal problems in the traditional Indian and Chinese medicine systems. In the present study, we prepared the hydromethanolic extract by using the cold maceration method and performed its phytochemical screening. Extract of A. calamus L. showed the presence of many secondary metabolites including the phenolics [i.e., 275.51 ± 0.001 (mg/ml) Gallic acid equivalence] as well as showed good antioxidant activities reflected through DPPH and ABTS assay with IC 50 16.32 ± 0.31 μg/ml, 27.62 ± 1.53 μg/ml respectively. It also possesses good total Nitric oxide, and Nitrite reducing activities. Furthermore, we have studied the cytotoxic behavior of AC hydromethanolic extract against human lung carcinoma cells (A549). It demonstrated potential cytotoxicity toward the lung carcinoma cell line (A549) with IC 50 of 92.83 ± 1.98 μg/ml. Various staining techniques (DAPI, AO/EB, Giemsa) and RT-PCR techniques were used to identify the mechanism of cytotoxicity. We found that the A. calamus L. hydromethanolic extract caused characteristic apoptotic morphological changes, ROS generation, induction of apoptosis through activation of the TRAIL receptors, caspase 9 and 3 and the inhibition of colony formation in A549 cells.