RESUMEN
Physalis species are used in folk medicine for phytotherapeutic properties. The extracts of medicinal plants are known to possesscytotoxic and chemopreventative compounds. In this study we investigated antibacterial, antioxidant, DNA damage preventativeproperties of Physalis peruviana (golden berry) on leaf and shoot ethanol extracts and their effects on cytotoxicity of HeLa cellsand expression of apoptotic pathway genes. Among the tested bacteria for antibacterial activity, maximum inhibition zone wasdetermined in Lactococcus lactis. The phenolic content was found higher in leaf extracts than shoot extracts. The antioxidantactivity showed the highest TEAC values of the leaf (2 mg/mL) and the shoot (0.5 mg/mL) extracts as 0.291±0.04 and 0.192±0.015,respectively. In DNA damage prevention assay both leaf and shoot extracts, especially 30 and 20 µg/mL concentrations, exhibitedsignificant protection against DNA damage-induced by hydroxyl radical generated by Fenton reaction. Our results suggest thatleaf and shoot extracts possess cytotoxic effect on HeLa cells when applied as 100 µg/mL concentration. Also mRNA expressionanalysis showed the alteration of antiapoptotic genes, so the results suggest that P. peruviana ethanol extracts induce apoptoticcell death and should be investigated for identification of active compounds and their mechanisms of action.