Dietary isothiocyanate iberin inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in human glioblastoma cells

In this study, we evaluated the antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects of the isothiocyanate iberin, a bioactive agent in Brassicaceae species, in human glioblastoma cells. The human glioblastoma cell cultures were treated with different concentrations of iberin and tested for growth inhibition, cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, and activation of caspases. Iberin inhibited growth of tumor cells in cell proliferation assays, enhanced cytotoxicity, and induced apoptosis by activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9. Findings from this study could provide a basis for potential usefulness of the diet-derived isothlocyanate iberin as a promising therapeutic micronutrient in the prevention / intervention of brain tumors.