Antiproliferative and apoptotic activity of Zedoary turmeric oil in human gastric carcinoma cells

Gastric cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies that combine efficacy with reduced systemic toxicity. Here, we report a comprehensive cellular and mechanistic investigation of the anticancer activity of Zedoary turmeric oil in the human gastric carcinoma cell line SGC-7901. Quantitative viability analyses demonstrate that Zedoary turmeric oil suppresses cancer cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with an IC₅₀ of 104.96 μg mL⁻¹ at 48 h. Morphological assessment reveals hallmark apoptotic features, including cell shrinkage, cytoplasmic condensation, and membrane blebbing, indicating activation of programmed cell death pathways.

Mechanistically, Zedoary turmeric oil induces a pronounced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, identifying mitochondrial dysfunction as an early and central event in its anticancer action. This mitochondrial perturbation is accompanied by internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and a substantial increase in apoptotic cell populations, as confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometry, respectively. Cell-cycle analysis further reveals a marked accumulation of cells in the sub-G1 phase, suggesting coordinated cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis induction. The convergence of mitochondrial depolarization, DNA fragmentation, and cell-cycle dysregulation supports a multi-level mechanism of action rather than nonspecific cytotoxicity.

Together, these findings establish Zedoary turmeric oil as a potent inducer of intrinsic apoptosis in gastric cancer cells and provide mechanistic insight into its therapeutic potential, laying a foundation for future translational and in vivo investigations.