Title:Hydrogen Peroxide and Beyond-the Potential of High-voltage Plasma-activated Liquids Against Cancerous Cells
VOLUME: 18 ISSUE: 6
Author(s):Daniela Boehm, James Curtin, P.J. Cullen and Paula Bourke*
Affiliation:Plasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin 1, Plasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin 1, Plasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin 1, Plasma Research Group, School of Food Science and Environmental Health, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin 1
Keywords:Plasma activated water, ROS, RNS, cytotoxicity, hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite, peroxynitrate.
Abstract:Background: The use of plasma-activated liquids such as PBS, medium or simply plasma-activated
water (PAW) has been receiving increasing attention for applications in cancer treatments. Amongst the reactive
species contained in these solutions, hydrogen peroxide appears to play a pivotal role in causing cytotoxic effects.
H2O2 concentrations can be correlated with reduced cell viability and growth and used as an indicator of
the potential efficacy of a plasma-activated liquid.
Objective: To investigate the cytotoxic mediators generated in water specific to high-voltage DBD-ACP.
Method: Using a high-voltage dielectric barrier atmospheric cold plasma (DBD-ACP) system, we examined
PAW-mediated cytotoxic effects on different mammalian cell lines employing a set-up where short-lived reactive
species can be discounted and activated liquids with long-term stability are generated.
Results: The PAW potency could be modulated using voltage level, treatment time and post-treatment storage
time and target-related characteristics such as surface to volume ratio. All of these parameters effected cell viability
in a hydrogen peroxide concentration correlated manner. The susceptibility of two cancer cell lines to
PAW was similar to that observed for two non-cancer cell lines and the toxicity of plasma-activated water exceeded
that of the corresponding hydrogen peroxide concentrations.
Conclusion: In cytotoxic plasma activated water an essential role for H2O2 has been demonstrated multi-fold,
yet further contributing factors are apparent and remain to be identified.
