PMC

C. gileadensis leaves and fruits. Photo taken in Ein Gedi's botanical gardens. Photos taken by Shelef Oren.

A drop of C. gileadensis resin on a C. gileadensis leaf. Photo taken in Ein Gedi's botanical gardens. Photos taken by Shelef Oren.

BS-24-1 cells were incubated with C. gileadensis essential oil for 24 h. DNA was separated and analyzed on agarose gel. Lane 1: control-cells treated with ethanol (0.05%) alone. Lane 2: cells incubated with 0.625 μL/mL essential oil. Lane 3: cells incubated with 1.25 μL/mL essential oil.

Apoptogenic effects of β-caryophyllene on two tumor cell lines. Enzymatic activity of different cell lines incubated with β-caryophyllene (2.4e − 4 μM) for 2 h. x-axis represents the time of the enzymatic reaction in vitro in minutes.

MoFir and FB cells were incubated with C. gileadensis extract (2.5 μL/mL) for 24 h. DNA was separated and analyzed on agarose gel. Lanes 1 and 2: ethanol-based stem extract. Lane 3–5: ethanol-based leaf extract. Lane 6: untreated cells with ethanol (0.05%) alone.

Fragmentation of DNA in the presence of β-caryophyllene. BS-24-1 cells were incubated in the presence of β-caryophyllene in two combinations of time and concentrations. Lane 1: cells with ethanol (0.05%) alone. Lane 2: cells incubated for 24 h with 2.4 μlM. Lane 3, cells incubated for 2 h with 9.6 μM β-caryophyllene.

Comparison of the apoptogenic effects of β-caryophyllene and citral on BS-24-1 tumor cell lines. Enzymatic activity of BS-24-1 incubated with β-caryophyllene (0.33 μL/mL) and citral (0.1 μL/mL) for 2 hrs. x-axis represents the time of the enzymatic reaction in vitro in minutes. Preincubation with caspase-3 inhibitor (DEVD-CHO) eliminated any development of caspase-3 activity.

β-caryophyllene activate caspase-3 in two tumor cell lines. The enzymatic activity of different cell lines incubated with β-caryophyllene (2.4e − 4 μM) for 2 hrs was assessed. Measurements were taken following 1020 min of enzymatic reaction in vitro. Preincubation with caspase-3 inhibitor (DEVD-CHO) eliminated any development of caspase-3 activity.

Growth inhibitory effect of ethanol-based Commiphora gileadensis stem extract on two tumor cell lines. Extract concentrations shown on x-axis are in μL/mL. The cells were plated at a concentration of 500,000 cells/mL and incubated with and without stem extract for 17 h. Control cells were treated with ethanol (0.05%) alone.

BS-24-1 cells (1,000,000 cells/mL) were incubated with C. gileadensis stem and leaf extracts (6 μL/mL) for 17 h. DNA was separated and analyzed on agarose gel. Lanes 1–7 and 11: H₂O-based stem extract. Lanes 8–10: H₂O-based leaf extract. Lanes 12–18 and 22, ethanol-based stem extract. Lanes 19–21: ethanol-based leaf extract. Lanes 23 and 24: control cells treated with ethanol (0.05%) and water.

Growth inhibitory effect of β-caryophyllene on two tumor cell lines. The cells were plated at a concentration of 500,000 cells/mL and incubated with citral (3.1e − 4 μM), STS (2 μM) and three β-caryophyllene concentrations (2.4e − 4, 4.8e − 4, and 9.6e − 4 μM) for 2 h. Control cells were treated with ethanol (0.05%) alone.

Growth inhibitory effect of C. gileadensis essential oil on two tumor cell lines. The cells were plated at a concentration of 500,000 cells/mL and incubated with citral (3.1e − 4 μM), STS (2 μM) and three concentrations of essential oil from C. gileadensis (named here gilead oil) for 2 h. Control cells were treated with ethanol (0.05%) alone.