DOI: 10.36347/sajp

Pages: 195-198

Cancer cells exhibit increased glucose metabolism and pentose phosphate cycle activity compared to normal untransformed cells. Glucose metabolism plays an important role in hydroperoxide detoxification and the inhibition of glucose metabolism has been shown to increase prooxidant production and cytotoxicity in cancer cells. There are reports showing that inhibition of the Akt pathway which is responsible for cell growth and survival, inhibits glucose consumption and induces parameters indicative of oxidative stress such as glutathione disulfide (%GSSG) and thioredoxin reductase (TR) activity in certain cancer cells. Hence after the treatment with a drug, when the levels of glucose consumption are decreased cancer cells, it could indicate increase in oxidative stress resulting in cell death and that the drug is effective against that particular cancer. In our previous studies, we have already shown that the hydroalcoholic extract of an annual herb Xanthium strumarium induced cell death and generated oxidative stress in HeLa cervical cancer cell line. In our current study, we have performed the test for glucose consumption to support our study further.