Chemical Composition, Antioxidant, Enzyme Inhibition and Anticancer Activities: Effects on the Expression of Genes Related to Apoptosis and the Polyamine Pathway and Molecular Docking Analyses of Rhus coriaria L. Extracts

DNA damage resulting from oxidative stress plays a major role in cancer formation. Despite DNA damage, the inability of cells to enter apoptosis due to irregularities in apoptotic protein levels and the induction of their proliferation as a result of the increase in polyamine levels causes the development and progression of cancer. The anticancer effects of <i>Rhus coriaria</i> L. extracts on lung cancer, colon cancer and fibroblast cell lines were determined by MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide). Total antioxidant status (TAS) was analyzed with a commercial kit. The expression levels of genes related to apoptosis and the polyamine pathway in lung and colon cancer cell lines were analyzed by a Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) device. <i>Rhus coriaria</i> L. extracts were found to have anticancer effects selectively on A549 and HT-29 cancer lines. It has also been shown that <i>Rhus coriaria</i> L. extracts have strong antioxidant capacity and can inhibit the Xanthine Oxidase (XO) enzyme in a dose-dependent manner. Afterwards, the interactions of the molecules in extracts of <i>Rhus coriaria</i> L. against various proteins such as colon cancer protein (PDB ID: 3DTC and 4UYA) lung cancer protein (PDB ID: 4ZXT and 5ZMA) were examined, and their activities were compared. MM/GBSA methods of the molecule with the best docking score are calculated as binding free energy.