Antiproliferative Activity and Apoptosis Induction by Gelam Honey on Liver Cancer Cell Line
Zakiah Jubri, Nur Nabilah Najib Narayanan, Norwahidah Abdul Karim, Wan Zurinah Wan Ngah

Abstract
Gelam honey is a Malaysian monofloral honey produced by Apis mellifera from Melaluca spp. It has high polyphenols content that possesses antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity towards preventing cancer and diseases. This study was to determine the antiproliferative effects of gelam honey on liver cancer, HepG2. MTS assay was carried to obtain IC50 value of gelam honey towards HepG2 and normal liver, WRL-68 cell lines. The cells proliferation rates were determined by BrdU assay and morphological cell changes were detected by using propidium iodide staining. The IC50 value of gelam honey towards HepG2 and WRL-68 cells was 25% and 70% respectively. Gelam honey reduced the proliferation of HepG2 at concentrations of 3% to 70%. Morphological analysis for apoptosis detection using fluorescent microscope under 400X magnification producing typical apoptotic characteristic. It showed that gelam honey has antiproliferative activity towards cancer cell by its ability to induce apoptosis.

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