Planta Med 2011; 77(14): 1590-1593
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1270987
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Farnesiferol A from Ferula persica and Galbanic Acid from Ferula szowitsiana Inhibit P-Glycoprotein-Mediated Rhodamine Efflux in Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Mohammad Yahya Hanafi-Bojd1 , Mehrdad Iranshahi1 , Fatemeh Mosaffa1 , Shahireh Omidvar Tehrani1 , Fatemeh Kalalinia1 , Javad Behravan1
  • 1Biotechnology Research Center and School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Further Information

Publication History

received October 26, 2010 revised March 7, 2011

accepted March 17, 2011

Publication Date:
11 April 2011 (online)

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Abstract

In multidrug resistance (MDR), cancer cells exposed to anticancer agents develop resistance to a wide variety of chemicals and chemotherapeutic agents. Sesquiterpene coumarins are reported to inhibit P-glycoprotein and/or increase cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs in P‐gp-overexpressing cell lines.

In the current study, we investigated the effects of galbanic acid (from the roots of Ferula szowitsiana) and farnesiferol A (from the roots of Ferula persica) on functionality of the drug transporter P-glycoprotein (P‐gp) using a rhodamine 123 efflux assay in a doxorubicin resistant breast cancer cell line (MCF7/Adr).

Compared to verapamil, the well-known inhibitor of P‐gp, galbanic acid (5, 10, and 25 µg/mL), significantly inhibited the P‐gp activity. In inhibition of the P‐gp transporter, farnesiferol A (0.5 µg/mL) was more potent than verapamil at 15 min exposure.

Our results indicate that the plant derived sesquiterpene coumarins, farnesiferol A and galbanic acid, may be promising candidates to be considered for further studies on the reversal of multidrug resistance phenotype in chemotherapy of cancer patients.