Combination of paclitaxel with eugenol effectively enhances anticancer characteristics of paclitaxel on the A549 lung cancer cell line.

Authors

Hazim Dhaidan Malghooth Almalghooth, Mohammad Khalaj-Kondori, Mohammad Ali Hosseinpour Feizi

Published in

Cytotechnology. Volume 78. Issue 4. Pages 148. Epub Jul 02, 2026.

Abstract

Lung cancer, primarily non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is a leading global cause of cancer mortality, driven by late diagnosis, drug resistance, and chemotherapy toxicity. Paclitaxel, a standard agent, stabilizes microtubules to induce G2/M arrest and apoptosis, but is limited by side effects such as neurotoxicity and resistance. Eugenol, derived from clove oil, offers anticancer benefits, including the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of metastasis. This study investigated the synergistic effects of Paclitaxel and Eugenol on A549 NSCLC cells, evaluating antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, and anti-metastatic activities via cellular and molecular assays. A549 cells were cultured and MTT assay measured viability after Eugenol, Paclitaxel, and their combinations. Apoptosis was assessed by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining and flow cytometry. Cell cycle analyzed by PI staining and flow cytometry. qRT-PCR quantified Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, MMP-2, MMP-9 expression, and data analyzed by t-test/ANOVA. The MTT assay revealed Eugenol's IC₅₀ to be 257.9 µM and Paclitaxel's IC50 to be 8.485 µM after 24 h of incubation. Combination treatment with 100 µM Eugenol and 4 µM Paclitaxel synergistically enhanced cytotoxicity compared to individual agents. Flow cytometry demonstrated a significant increase in apoptosis with the combination and synergistic use of components. Cell cycle analysis revealed elevated sub-G1 populations at 11.8% for Eugenol, 20.3% for Paclitaxel, and 36.6% for the combination, which was prominent in the single treatments but reduced in the combination. qRT-PCR demonstrated downregulated anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, upregulated pro-apoptotic Bax and Caspase-3, and suppressed metastasis-related MMP-2 and MMP-9, with effects most pronounced in the combination group. Eugenol enhances the efficacy of Paclitaxel on A549 cells by inducing superior apoptosis, disrupting the cell cycle, and inhibiting metastasis, suggesting potential strategies for reduced toxicity.

PMID:
42404852
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 06 Jul 2026.

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