Evaluating The Anti-Proliferative and Apoptotic Potential of Dracaena Cinnabari Resin in A549 Lung Cancer Cells

Objective: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide and ranks as the second most prevalent cancer in men after prostate cancer and in women after breast cancer. Although Dracaena cinnabari Balf. Resin is recognized for its antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as its vitro cytotoxicity against lung cancer cells. Still, its specificity for malignant cells and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain insufficiently characterized. The present study evaluates the cytotoxic effects of the methanol extract derived from Dracaena cinnabari resin on human lung cancer cell lines. It examines its selectivity in comparison to non-cancerous cells.Materials and Methods: Cell proliferation was assessed using the MTT assay, and apoptosis was quantified with the Annexin V assay on a Muse flow cytometer. HEK-293 cells were used as the non-cancerous control, whereas A549 lung cancer cells were used to evaluate the extract's selectivity for cancer cells. The methanol extract of Dracaena cinnabari resin was applied to both cell lines at concentrations of 50, 75, 100, 125, and 150 µg/mL. The MTT assay was used to determine cell viability at 24 and 48 hours of incubation.Results: Following a 24-hour incubation, the IC₅₀ value was determined to be 90.96 µg/mL for A549 cells and 72.10 µg/mL for HEK-293 cells. The lower IC₅₀ value observed in HEK-293 cells compared to A549 cells suggests that the extract lacks specificity for cancer cells and may exert general cytotoxic effects. Annexin V analysis demonstrated a significant increase in late apoptosis in both cell lines after treatment with the extract at the IC₅₀ concentration.Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that the methanol extract of Dracaena cinnabari resin currently exhibits limited selectivity toward cancer cells and is therefore not suitable as a complementary therapeutic agent. Future research should prioritize comprehensive mechanistic studies that investigate specific molecular targets, including apoptosis pathways, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated mechanisms, and caspase activation.