OBJECTIVE

To study the anti-oxidant properties of neem (Azadirachta indica) in inducing apoptosis of cervical cancer cells and estimation of caspase activity and TNF-α and IFN-γ levels in monocytes of cervical cancer patients and controls.

METHODS

Monocytes were cultured from blood samples of 65 study cases and 30 controls for the estimation of caspase 3, 8 and 9 with specific inhibitors and TNF-α and IFN-γ levels in culture supernatant of monocytes. Two cervical biopsies were taken from 18 cases of moderately differentiated SCC. One biopsy was formalin fixed for histopathology and the other for tissue culture was kept in RPMI-1640 medium to evaluate the apoptotic effect of neem extract on malignant cells.

RESULTS

Neem-treated monocytes from cervical cancer patients showed high activity levels of caspase 3, 8, and 9. A decrease in TNF-α and an increase in IFN-γ levels was seen in culture supernatant of monocytes. Cyto- and histomorphology of neem-treated cervical cancer cells exhibited increased apoptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Neem is a potent inducer of apoptosis in biopsies of cervical cancer patients.