In vitro cytotoxicity of honey on WRL-68 normal liver cells by using MTT assay / Siti Zainab Yahya

Honey is a natural product that produced by bees and has been used for centuries as a food sources, medicine and daily supplement. The consumption of real honey is important to prevent the side effects and allergic reactions. This study was conducted to determine the cytotoxicity effect of Acacia, Tualang and Gelam honey onto the WRL-68 normal liver cells, in different dose and time of incubation. The cells were treated with various concentrations ranging from 0.098% to 100% of selected honeys and further incubated for 24 hours to obtain the IC50 value and significant toxic dose for each honey. The cytotoxic effect of selected honeys were analyzed by MTT assay and Graph Pad Prism version 8.1.1. Using the obtained toxic dose, the whole procedure was then repeated with different incubation periods of 48 and 72 hours. The cytotoxic effect increased when treated with Acacia, Tualang and Gelam honey in dose dependent manner. After 24 hours, the significant toxic concentration for Acacia and Tualang honey were 12.5%, while for Gelam honey was 25%. The IC50 values for Acacia, Tualang and Gelam honey after 24 hours incubation were 8.164%, 8.204% and 17.20%, respectively. WRL68 cells viability was affected by different incubation times of honey treatment. The percentage of viable cells after treated with 12.5% Acacia honey were 45.67 ± 3.84%, 32.67 ± 9.28% and 26.00 ± 11.02% for 24, 48 and 72 hours, respectively. While for the 12.5% Tualang honey, the cells viability were 30.67 ± 2.60%, 40.33 ± 4.49% and 14.67 ± 0.88%. Treatment of 25% Gelam honey for 24, 48 and 72 hours showed 37.67 ± 0.88%, 21.33 ± 4.70% and 23.67 ± 0.33% of viable cells as compared to untreated control cells. In conclusion, the tested honeys have the ability to induce toxicity towards WRL-68 cells in dose dependent manner. However, only Acacia honey gave significant difference over time of incubation.