EFFECTS OF TEUCRIUM POLIUM EXTRACT ON CYTOTOXICITY, OXIDATIVE STRESS, AND INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS IN AN ORAL CANCER CELL MODE

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is among the most frequent forms of cancer affecting the mouth, with the genesis of this disease being related to oxidative stress and inflammatory processes. The purpose of the present study was to carry out investigation of cytotoxic effects of Teucrium polium and its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-biofilm properties. The alcohol extract was produced from aerial parts of T. polium with the help of 70% ethanol. The cytotoxicity was tested on SCC-25 cells using the MTT assay, and the IC₅₀ was calculated. There were conducted measurements of the levels of intracellular ROS, MDA, and GSH, as well as levels of IL-6 and TNF-α with ELISA. The impact of the extract on biofilm formation and eradication of Porphyromonas gingivalis was assessed as well. Results: The extract exhibited a cytotoxic effect that was dependent on dose; in the control sample, 100.00% of SCC-25 cells remained viable, but at the dose of 300 µg/mL, the viability decreased to 24.7 ± 2.6%, indicating an IC₅₀ of 170.7 µg/mL. At the same time, progressive decreases in the levels of ROS and MDA were observed, while GSH levels increased with increasing concentrations of the extract. Levels of IL-6 and TNF-α also declined progressively. At the same time, at a dose of 150 µg/mL, the extract was able to inhibit biofilm formation of P. gingivalis by 64% and to remove 51% of already formed biofilm.