Cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing effects of nine plants on MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line

Introduction: Being one of the ten leading causes of death for women, breast cancer causes most of the cancer related death among 20-59-year-old-women. Possibility of finding novel cancer therapeutic agents in plants has caused increasing attention to them. The aim of this study was to determine cytotoxic and apoptotic activity of nine different plants and some of their purified constituents on MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. Materials & methods: Cancer cells were cultured in RPMI-1640. Essential oil and/or extracts of Artemisia kulbadica, Artemisia sieberi, Artemisia turcomanic, Artemisia kopetdaghensis, Artemisia khorassanica, Rheum turkestanicum, Viola tricolor, Nepeta cataria, and Lavandula angustifolia were obtained also some of these plants major constituents were purified. Cell viability assays (MTS, MTT or Alamar blue®) were performed to determine cytotoxic activity and Flow Cytometery was performed to determine the apoptotic activity. To verify the apoptosis mechanisms, the Western blot method was used. Constituents of Artemisia spp., N. cataria, and L. angustifolia were determined using Gas-Chromatography and Gas-Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry. Results: Essentials oil and extracts of A. kulbadica, A. siberia, A. turcomanic, A. kopetdaghensis, and N. cataria didn’t show considerable cytotoxity (IC50> 400), whereas essential oils and extracts of A. khorassanica, R. turkestanicum, V. tricolor, L. angustifolia, and 4-terpineol, a Constituent found in Artemisia genus, showed considerable cytotoxity (50