OBJECTIVE: Radiation therapy is one of the many methods that are used to cure cancers. Considering the high resistance of cancer cells to radiation therapy and its many side effects, and considering that in recent years the high medicinal potential of plants has been noticed, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the dandelion hydro-alcoholic extract and its active constituent on the radiation therapy cytotoxic effect in glioblastoma cancer cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: After treatment with extract and taraxasterol, the cell viability was evaluated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. Then the effect of the combination of extract and taroxasterol with ionizing radiation was tested. The apoptosis cell death was investigated by diphenylamine assay and real-time technic.

RESULTS: After treatment with extract and taraxasterol, cell viability was decreased in a dose-dependent manner. The extract and taraxasterol increased the sensitivity of cells to ionizing radiation. In addition, after treatment with the extract and taraxasterol, the amount of apoptosis induced by ionizing radiation in the cells increased. After treatment with extract, taraxasterol and ionizing radiation, the expression of Bax and p53 increased and the expression of Bcl-2 decreased.

CONCLUSIONS: Using the dandelion along with radiation therapy may show a better response to treatment in glioblastoma patients.