(A) MTT assay results in normal and senescent fibroblasts (*P < 0.05). (B) Effect of treatment with asafetida on human senescent fibroblasts in percent of senescent cells/total number of cells counted in the images from each group (*P < 0.05). (C) Images of cells after staining for β-galactosidase activity, with the blue color representing senescent cells: (a) control, (b) 10⁻⁸, (c) 5 × 10⁻⁸, (d) 10⁻⁷, (e) 5 × 10⁻⁷, and (f) 10⁻⁶ g/mL of asafetida. Data are presented as means ± SEMs, and scale bars represent 100 μm.

MTT, methyl tetrazolium bromide; SEMs, standard errors of the mean.

(A) Expression levels of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic mRNAs in asafetida-treated senescent cells. The expression of BCL2 was increased in the groups treated with 5 × 10⁻⁸ and 10⁻⁷ g/mL of asafetida compared with the control group (P < 0.01). Also, in those groups, the expression rates of apoptotic markers were significantly reduced as compared with the control group while in the groups treated with 5 × 10⁻⁷ and 10⁻⁶ g/mL of asafetida, the expression rates of apoptotic markers were increased. (B) Western blot assay for BCL2 protein in different groups (*P < 0.05 and ^$P < 0.01, compared with the control group).