To evaluate the antioxidant and apoptotic inductive effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) leaf extract against a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line.

After treating HepG2cells with Ashwagandha water extract (ASH-WX; 6.25 mg/ml–100 mg/ml), cell proliferation was assessed using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Antioxidant activities (total antioxidant, glutathione S-transferase and glutathione reductase), Fas-ligand level, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) level and caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities were measured. Molecular modelling assessed the binding-free energies of Ashwagandha in the cyclin D1 receptor.

The MTT assay demonstrated increased cytotoxicity following treatment of HepG2 cells with ASH-WX compared with control untreated cells and theIC₅₀was 5% (approximately 5.0 mg/ml). Antioxidant activities, Fas-ligand levels and caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities significantly increased, while TNF-α level significantly decreased following ASH-WX treatment compared with control untreated cells. Molecular docking analysis revealed a good prediction of binding between cyclin D1 and Ashwagandha. There was significant accumulation of ASH-WX-treated HepG2cells in the G₀/G₁ and G₂/M phases compared with the control untreated cells.

Ashwagandha could be a powerful antioxidant and a promising anticancer agent against HCC.