Anticancer Potential of Ferula Assa-Foetida Oil: Growth Inhibition, DNA Fragmentation and Oxidative Stress Modulation in SKGT-4 Esophageal Cancer Cells

Ferula assa-foetida oil has been demonstrated to have antiproliferative activity against cancer cells and is used in traditional medicine to treat respiratory and digestive issues. The present study aimed to determine the cytotoxic and modulatory activities of F. assa-foetida oil on oxidative stress in human esophageal cancer (Sloan-Kettering Gastroenterology-4; SKGT-4) cells. F. assa-foetida oil was extracted from oleo-gum resin via Soxhlet extraction with n-hexane. The oil was analyzed using GC-MS to identify its chemical constituents. The oil's cytotoxic activity was assessed against SKGT-4 and normal human epithelial cells (HBL100) employing (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) an MTT assay. The apoptotic effect was determined using DNA fragmentation analysis. The oil's effect on oxidative signaling was assessed by measuring catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) levels in SKGT-4 cells. The oil's GC-MS analysis revealed twenty-seven constituents, the most significant of which were iridomyrmecin, palmitic acid, and elaidic acid. F. assa-foetida oil resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability, with IC₅₀ values of 0.0158 and 0.02189% for SKGT-4 and HBL100 cells, respectively, and a selectivity index of 1.38. DNA fragmentation analysis revealed evidence of oil-induced apoptosis in SKGT-4 cells. Antioxidant enzyme assay revealed significant increases in CAT and SOD2, while GPX1 was unchanged in SKGT-4 cells treated with F. assa-foetida oil. These findings suggest that F. assa-foetida oil reduces cell viability, upregulates apoptotic signaling, and influences oxidative stress markers in cancer cells, demonstrating its promising potential as a natural source of bioactive agent for the treatment of esophageal cancer.