Assessment of olive leaves extract – cytotoxicity in vitro and angiogenesis in ovo

Abstract

In this study, it was determined the composition of the olive leaves ethanolic extract by LC-MS, the in vitro cytotoxicity on A375 human melanoma cells was established, by means of the MTT assay (number of viable cells), the Annexin V-FITC assay (number of apoptotic cells) and in vivo irritant and toxic potential by chorioallantoic membrane assay. The extract contains a number of polyphenols, among which luteolin and rutin are the predominant compounds and triterpenic acids with a significant ursolic acid content. At the highest concentration tested, 100 µg/mL, it was noted an important cytotoxic effect on human melanoma cells, it influences the development of growing capillaries, it induces narrowed calibre vessels, but no signs of toxicity on HET-CAM were recorded, while 24 h after treatment, the extract expressed a stronger effect, upon both tumour cell growth and the vascularization of A375 melanoma cells on in vivo test.