Illicium verum anticancer activity against MDA-MB-231 cell line

  • Asra Khan Pahore Altamash Institute of Dental Medicine
  • Shagufta Khan
  • Nasim Karim
Keywords: Apoptosis, Cell line, Cell survival, Illicium, Methanol, Triple negative neoplasms

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the anticancer activity of methanolic extract of Illicium verum against triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line.

Methods: A cell culture experimental study was carried out at Pharmacology department of Bahria University Medical and Dental College (January to June 2021) in collaboration with Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. Cell viability and proliferation assays were used to quantify dead and alive cells by utilizing a tetrazolium assay and an enzyme immunosorbent plate reader was used to calculate their absorbance. For the apoptosis initiation assay, these cells were dyed with a fluorescent stain and observed for fluorescence and apoptosis. During cell viability testing, various I. verum methanolic extract doses (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 25µg/ml) were employed to treat MDA-MB-231 cells, while the IC50 dose of 2.8µg/ml was used for both the cell proliferation and apoptosis initiation assays.

Results: In the cell viability assay, all I. verum methanolic extract doses exhibited a substantial decrease in the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells (less than 0.01 p-value). In cell proliferation assay and apoptosis initiation, the IC50 dose of 2.8µg/ml of I. verum methanolic extract also exhibited a substantial decrease in cell division (less than 0.01 p-value) and the initiation of apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells.

Conclusion: Illicium verum methanolic extract have strong anticancer activity against triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line through cytotoxicity, proliferation reduction, and apoptosis initiation mechanisms.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.1.7860

How to cite this: Pahore AK, Khan S, Karim N. Illicium verum anticancer activity against MDA-MB-231 cell line. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(1):110-114. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.1.7860

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Author Biographies

Shagufta Khan

Assistant Professor

Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences
Aga Khan University

Karachi, Pakistan.

Nasim Karim

Head Department of Pharmacology

Bahria University Medical & Dental College

Sailors Street, Adjacent PNS Shifa

DHA Phase II

Karachi, Pakistan.

Published
2023-11-15
How to Cite
Pahore, A. K., Khan, S., & Karim, N. (2023). Illicium verum anticancer activity against MDA-MB-231 cell line. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 40(1). https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.40.1.7806