From Functional Food to Therapeutic Prospect: Mechanistic Study of Gypenoside XVII in HeLa Cells

Cervical cancer remains a prominent cause of cancer‑related mortality among women worldwide because of chronic infection with high‑risk human papillomavirus (HPV) and disparate access to prevention and treatment. The current research evaluates the anticancer activity of Gypenoside XVII, a bioactive saponin of Gynostemma pentaphyllum, in HeLa cells as a model of cervical cancer. MTT, Annexin V-PI, and Hoechst 33342 assays showed dose‑dependent growth inhibition with typical apoptotic morphology. Flow cytometry revealed G₀/G₁ cell‑cycle arrest, while pathway interrogation revealed participation of mitochondrial and death‑receptor cascades, in agreement with caspase‑9 and caspase‑8 activation, respectively. Collectively, these findings position Gypenoside XVII as a natural‑product bioactive with potential both as an anticancer lead and as a functional‑food ingredient, deserving of further preclinical development.