Abstract
Background: Cancer causes significant morbidity and mortality and is a major public health problem
worldwide. Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in women,
and the incidence is also on the rise in the entire world. Medicinal plants have been
an important source of several clinically useful anticancer agents. Aim: In this study, we studied the growth inhibitory effect of asafoetida and its essential
oil and ferulic acid on antitumor activity using mouse breast cancer cell line. Materials and Methods: For this aim, cells were exposed to these components at different concentrations
and for different time durations. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium
bromide (MTT) assay was carried out to characterize the cytotoxicity of the constituents
used. Results: Our results showed that all three constituents could inhibit 4T1 cell proliferation.
Our MTT assay results showed a significant cytotoxicity effect in a time- and concentration-dependent
manner. It also demonstrated that essential oil of asafoetida has a stronger effect
in decreasing viability breast cancer cells. Ferulic acid showed a significant effect
only at a dose of 500 μg/ml. Conclusions: Based on the results of cellular carried
out in this study, we could demonstrate that asafoetida and its essential oil and
ferulic acid have inhibitory effect on the growth of breast cancer cell line. As evidenced
from these preliminary results, asafoetida and its derivative constituents may be
considered as attractive alternatives to serve as lead compounds in drug development
for breast cancer as an adjuvant therapy. However, much remains to be done before
such agent could be introduced to the clinic.
Keywords
4T1 cell line - asafoetida - breast cancer - essential oil - ferulic acid
