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Antitumor effects of Origanum acutidens extracts on human breast cancer
E Tuncer1, S Unver-Saraydin, B Tepe
1Department of Pathology, Comhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey.
Purpose:
There has been a long-standing interest in the identification of medicinal plants and derived natural products for developing anticancer agents. This work aimed at investigating the antiprolipherative properties of Origanum acutidens (OA) on breast cancer.
Methods:
OA water extracts were studied for cytotoxicity against the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231. In vitro apoptosis studies of these cancer cell lines were performed by annexin V staining in flow cytometry analyses. Immunohistochemistry studies for Ki-67 and caspase-7 of tumor tissue sections of dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) -induced mammary cancer in rats were also performed. TUNEL assay was used to detect apoptotic cells of tumor tissue. In vivo anticancer activity testing was carried out by inhibiting the growth of DMBA-induced mammary cancer in rats.
Results:
OA showed cytotoxicity on all 3 cancer cell lines. Annexin-positive cells level in OA-treated cell lines were significantly higher compared with untreated control cells (p=0.002). The expressions of caspase-7 protein and TUNEL-positive cells were much higher for the rats treated by OA, compared with the untreated control group (p<0.05). The expressions of the Ki-67 decreased in the treated groups compared with the control group (p<0.05). In vivo studies showed that the mean tumor volume inhibition ratio in OA-treated group was 41 % compared with the untreated rats (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
These results indicate that OA has antitumor activity against breast cancer cell lines.
Insights
Origanum acutidens (OA) exhibits significant antiproliferative effects on breast cancer cells. This study demonstrates OA
Area of Science:
- Phytochemistry
- Oncology
- Natural Products Research
Background:
- Medicinal plants are a key source for novel anticancer drug discovery.
- Origanum acutidens (OA) is a plant with potential therapeutic properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the antiproliferative and antitumor activities of Origanum acutidens (OA) water extracts on breast cancer.
- To evaluate the efficacy of OA in preclinical models of breast cancer.
Main Methods:
- Cytotoxicity assays were performed on human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231).
- In vitro apoptosis was assessed using annexin V staining and flow cytometry.
- In vivo studies involved DMBA-induced mammary cancer in rats, with analyses including Ki-67, caspase-7, and TUNEL assays, alongside tumor volume measurements.
Main Results:
- OA demonstrated significant cytotoxicity against all tested breast cancer cell lines.
- OA treatment led to increased apoptosis in vitro and in vivo, evidenced by higher annexin V, caspase-7, and TUNEL-positive cells.
- In vivo, OA treatment resulted in a 41% reduction in tumor volume and decreased Ki-67 expression, indicating inhibited proliferation.
Conclusions:
- Origanum acutidens possesses notable antitumor activity against breast cancer.
- OA represents a promising natural product for the development of novel breast cancer therapeutics.
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