Cytotoxicity in HUVEC Cells Exposed to Methanol Extracts of Four Medicinal Plants Combined with and without Boron

Yıl 2026, Cilt: 12 Sayı: 2, 85 - 99, 17.01.2026

Ramazan Demirel , Hanife Ardahanlı , Meryem İçen , Celal Şahin Ermutlu , Özkan Özden

https://doi.org/10.48138/cjo.1790491

Öz

Medicinal plants synthesize many types of biologically active compounds, and these molecules play an important role in pharmacy and provide the raw material for some drugs. Although some plants are used because they are easily accessible at very low costs and are thought to have fewer side effects than synthetic products, it is also frequently reported that high doses of these plants can have toxic side effects rather than benefits.
In this study, the cytotoxic effects of low (25 μg/mL), medium (50 μg/mL), and high doses (100 μg/mL) of methanol extracts from four different medicinal plants commonly used by the public, stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L.), purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.), bitter melon (Ecballium elaterium L.), and wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) with and without boric acid co-treatment for 24 hours on human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were investigated using a cell viability assay and light microscopy techniques. It has been determined that adding medium doses of boric acid (500  to these plant extracts decreased cytotoxicity in HUVEC and increased cell viability.
This study demonstrates the potential of adding boric acid to plant extracts that are highly toxic or have adverse side effects, in order to mitigate these effects.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Boric acid , stinging nettle , purslane , bitter melon , wild thyme

Etik Beyan

In our study, cell lines were used under in vitro conditions. No clinical or experimental human or animal subjects were used.

Destekleyen Kurum

This research was supported by the Kafkas University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit.

Proje Numarası

2022-FM-17, Year: 2022.

Teşekkür

We would like to thank the Life Sciences and Technologies Application and Research Center of Kafkas University for providing basic cell culture equipment. We would like to thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Faruk Karahan for authentication of collected plants.

Bor ile Birleştirilmiş ve Birleştirilmemiş Dört Tıbbi Bitkinin Metanol Ekstraktlarına Maruz Kalan HUVEC Hücrelerinde Sitotoksisite

Öz

Tıbbi bitkiler birçok biyolojik olarak aktif bileşikler sentezler ve bu moleküller eczacılıkta önemli bir rol oynar ve bazı ilaçların hammaddesini sağlar. Bazı bitkiler çok düşük maliyetle kolayca elde edilebildikleri ve sentetik ürünlere göre daha az yan etkisi olduğu düşünüldüğü için kullanılır, ancak bu bitkilerin yüksek dozlarda faydadan çok toksik yan etkileri olabileceği de sıklıkla bildirilmektedir.
Bu çalışmada, halk tarafından yaygın olarak kullanılan dört farklı tıbbi bitkiden (ısırgan otu (Urtica dioica L.), semizotu (Portulaca oleracea L.), acı kavun (Ecballium elaterium L.) ve yabani kekik (Thymus serpyllum L.) bitkilerinden elde edilen düşük (25 μg/mL), orta (50 μg/mL) ve yüksek dozda (100 μg/mL) metanol özütlerinin, borik asit ile birlikte veya tek başına 24 saat boyunca insan göbek kordonu ven endotel hücreleri (HUVEC) üzerinde sitotoksik etkileri, hücre canlılığı testi ve ışık mikroskobu teknikleri kullanılarak araştırılmıştır. Bu bitki özütlerine orta dozda borik asit (500 mM) eklenmesinin HUVEC'lerde sitotoksisiteyi azalttığı ve hücre canlılığını artırdığı belirlenmiştir.
Bu çalışma, yüksek toksikliğe sahip veya yan etkileri olan bitki özütlerine borik asit ekleyerek bu etkileri azaltma potansiyelini göstermektedir

Anahtar Kelimeler

Borik asit , ısırgan otu , semizotu , acı kavun , yabani kekik

Etik Beyan

Çalışmamızda in vitro koşullarda hücre hatları kullanılmıştır. Klinik ve deneysel insan ve hayvanlar kullanılmamıştır.

Destekleyen Kurum

Bu araştırma Kafkas Üniversitesi Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Koordinasyon Birimi tarafından desteklenmiştir.

Proje Numarası

2022-FM-17, Year: 2022.

Teşekkür

Temel hücre kültürü ekipmanlarını sağlayan Kafkas Üniversitesi Yaşam Bilimleri ve Teknolojileri Uygulama ve Araştırma Merkezi'ne teşekkür ederiz. Toplanan bitkilerin tanımlanmasında yardımcı olan Doç. Dr. Faruk Karahan'a teşekkür ederiz.

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