Evaluation of combination anti cancer effect of methotroxate and melissa officinalis as a herbal component on HeLa cancer cell line

Abstract

Background and objective: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer after breast cancer among women worldwide. Conventional treatments for this disease include surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Among the above methods, chemotherapy is currently used significantly, but the use of chemotherapy drugs has undesirable side effects. Simultaneous administration of two or more chemotherapy agents or conventional drugs as a combination therapy is the most effective way to increase the effectiveness of treatment. Additive or synergistic effects are two mechanisms by which combination therapy increases the optimal treatment of cancer compared to a single treatment. One of the accepted beliefs about natural compounds as herbs is their effectiveness in treating cancer. However, in most cases, its effects in clinical phases have not been studied accurately and logically. Therefore, it may be necessary to study the anticancer effects of compounds such as MO and to determine the mechanisms involved in cancer. In this study, HeLa cancer cells were used to evaluate the anti-cancer effect of MO in combination with MTX on growth retardation, induction of apoptosis, morphological changes and fractures in the DNA of cell nuclei and to compare the therapeutic effects of this combination with MO and MTX alone. Materials and Methods: MTT assay assessed the quantitative cytotoxicity effect of both MTX and MO. Apoptosis assay via flow cytometry was used to determine the amount of apoptotic and necrotic cells. To further investigate the anti-cancer effects, DAPI staining and DNA ladder assays are used qualitatively to detect changes in the nuclei of cells that are a sign of apoptosis occurring and morphological modifications of DNA. Results: MTX and MO mixture showed high cytotoxicity and apoptosis rate compared to untreated cells. Furthermore, the morphological changes of MTX and MO mixture were more evident than that of single MO, MTX, and control groups. Conclusion: These data regarding cell growth reduction and apoptosis induction in HeLa cancer cells showed that MTX and MO mixture can be an appropriate platform for cancer therapy.