Evaluation of the anti-tumor activity of extract Falcaria vulgaris in breast cancer tumor bearing mice

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most common diseases in women, and identifying novel anti-tumor compounds is an important priority in treating this deadly cancer. Falcaria vulgaris (Apiaceae) grows in different parts of Iran and is used for wound healing, gastric ulcers, and some other diseases. Many of its effects attributed to the presence of Coumarins and Flavonoids. Furthermore, previous studies revealed that the compounds founded in the Apiaceae family possess cytotoxic activity. Hence, there is a rationale to use these compounds in cancer treatment. Scope: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-tumor effects of F. vulgaris extract on the process of tumor development in the mouse model of breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Female BALB/c mice at 6–7 weeks of age were subjected to the orthotopic allograft injection with 1×106 viable 4T1 cells. The extracts of aerial parts of F. vulgaris were prepared using Soxhlet apparatus. Studies were performed in four different groups to evaluate the effects of low dose (10 mg/kg) and high dose (20 mg/kg) of this plant extract. Tissues collected after 28 days and subsequently tested by qRT-PCR and also analyzed by H&E staining. Results: The results of the study showed that a high dose of F. vulgaris extracts significantly inhibited tumor growth and reduced tumor volume (p <0.01) in the animal model of breast cancer. Some of these effects are caused by altered expression of cancer-related genes through inhibition of Cycline B (p <0.05) and the induction of Caspase-3 (p <0.0001) and Capsapse-9 (p <0.001) mRNA expression. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that F. vulgaris extract inhibits the proliferation of breast cancer and induces the apoptosis-dependent pathway. Thus possibly suggesting as a natural resource for future bio-guided isolation of potential antitumor agents.