RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the anti-apoptotic and radical scavenging activities of dietary phenolics, namely ascorbic acid,α-tocopherol acetate, citric acid, salicylic acid, and estimate H2O2-induced apoptosis in renal cell carcinoma cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The intracellular antioxidant potency of antioxidants was investigated. H2O2-induced apoptosis in RCC-26 was assayed with the following parameters: cell viability (% apoptosis), nucleosomal damage and DNA fragmentation, bcl-2 levels and flow cytometery analysis (ROS production evaluation).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The anticancer properties of antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol acetate, citric acid, salicylic acid with perdurable responses were investigated. It was observed that these antioxidants had protective effect (anti-apoptotic activity) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC-26) cell line.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This study reveals and proves the anticancer properties. However, in cancer cell lines anti-apoptotic activity can indirectly reflect the cancer promoter activity through radicals scavenging, and significantly protect nucleus and bcl-2.</p>