Anticancer Effects of -Pinene in AGS Gastric Cancer Cells.

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer globally and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Existing treatment strategies for gastric cancer often present numerous side effects. Consequently, recent studies have shifted toward devising new treatments grounded in safer natural substances. -Pinene, a natural terpene found in the essential oils of various plants, such as and , displays antioxidant, antibiotic, and anticancer properties. Yet, its impact on gastric cancer remains unexplored. This research assessed the effects of -pinene using a human gastric adenocarcinoma cell-line (AGS) human gastric cancer cells and via a xenograft mouse model. The survival rate of AGS cells treated with -pinene was notably lower than that of the control group, as revealed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. This decline in cell viability was linked to apoptosis, as verified by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and annexin V/propidium iodide staining. The -pinene-treated group exhibited elevated cleaved-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X (Bax) levels and reduced Bcl-2 levels compared with the control levels. Moreover, -pinene triggered the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and p38 within the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. In the xenograft mouse model, -pinene induced apoptosis through the MAPK pathway, devoid of toxicity. These findings position -pinene as a promising natural therapeutic for gastric cancer.