OICC Press Progress in Biomaterials 2194-0517 13 04 2024 12 30 Biomaterial-Based Delivery of Ornithogalum brachystachys Methanolic Extract Enhances Apoptosis in HT-29 Colorectal Cancer Cells via BAX/BCL2 Modulation 10.5764/pibm.2024.132414 EN Mahdi Il Saadatmand Department of Biology, Qo.C. Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran Maryam Khoshsokhan-Mozaffar Department of Biology, Qo.C. Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran Farah Farahani Department of Biology, Qo.C. Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran Journal Article 2024 12 30 This study evaluated methanolic and hexanic extracts of Ornithogalum brachystachys C.Koch for anti-cancer effects on HT-29 colorectal cancer cells, comparing them to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Cells were treated with extracts (25−200 µg/mL) or 5-FU (5−100 µM) for up to 72 hours. Cytotoxicity was assessed by MTT, and apoptosis-related gene expression (BAX and BCL2) by qRT-PCR. The methanolic extract showed the strongest cytotoxicity, reducing viability to 44.9% at 100 µg/mL after 72 hours and increasing BAX expression by 1.48-fold, indicating apoptosis. The hexanic extract had moderate cytotoxicity (63.7% viability at 25 µg/mL, 24 hours) with no significant changes in apoptotic gene expression. 5-FU decreased viability to 51.9% at 5 µM after 72 hours and produced stronger apoptotic signaling (BAX +1.75-fold, BCL2 −0.63-fold). Overall, the methanolic extract demonstrates notable, albeit weaker, pro-apoptotic activity via BAX/BCL2 modulation and may serve as a promising, lower-toxicity complementary natural anticancer candidate warranting further phytochemical and in vivo studies.