Interaction of olive oil-based propolis and caffeic acid phenethyl ester with methylprednisolone used in the treatment of human acute myeloid leukemia

Methylprednisolone (MP) is a pharmaceutical agent employed in the management of Leukemia, which is a systemic malignancy that arises from abnormalities in the hematological system. Numerous investigations in the field of cancer research have directed their attention towards propolis, a natural substance with significant potential as a treatment-supportive agent. Its utilization aims to mitigate the potential adverse effects associated with chemotherapy medications. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of olive oil-based propolis (OEP) and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia, as well as to determine if they exhibit a synergistic effect when combined with the therapeutic support product methylprednisolone.

The proliferation of HL-60 cells was quantified using the WST-8 kit. The PI Staining technique was employed to do cell cycle analysis of DNA in cells subjected to OEP, CAPE, and MP, with subsequent measurement by flow cytometry. The apoptotic status of cells was determined by analyzing them using flow cytometry after staining with the Annexin V-APC kit. The quantification of apoptotic gene expression levels was conducted in HL-60 cells. In HL-60 cells, the IC₅₀ dosages of CAPE and MP were determined to be 1 × 10^− 6 M and 5 × 10^− 4 M, respectively. The HL-60 cells were subjected to apoptosis and halted in the G₀/G₁ and G₂/M phases of the cell cycle after being treated with MP, CAPE, and OEP.

Propolis and its constituents have the potential to serve as effective adjunctive therapies in chemotherapy.