Effects of crude aqueous medicinal plant extracts on growth and invasion of breast cancer cells.
Plants used in folklore medicine continue to be an important source of discovery and development of novel therapeutic agents. In the present study, we determined the effects of crude aqueous extracts of a panel of medicinal plants on the growth and invasion of cancer cells. Our results showed that extracts of L. tridentata (Creosote Bush) and J. communis L. (Juniper Berry) significantly decreased the growth of MCF-7/AZ breast cancer cells. The latter as well as A. californica (Yerba Mansa) inhibited invasion into the collagen type I gel layer. Furthermore, the phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) decreased when the cells were exposed to aqueous extracts of L. tridentata, J. communis L. and A. californica. This study provides original scientific data on the anticancer activity of selected aqueous medicinal plant extracts used in traditional medicine.
Van Slambrouck
Severine
S
Laboratory of Biochemical and Biomedical Research, Department of Chemistry and Biology, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM 87801, USA.
Daniels
Amber L
AL
Hooten
Carla J
CJ
Brock
Steven L
SL
Jenkins
Aaron R
AR
Ogasawara
Marcia A
MA
Baker
Joann M
JM
Adkins
Glen
G
Elias
Eerik M
EM
Agustin
Vincent J
VJ
Constantine
Sarah R
SR
Pullin
Michael J
MJ
Shors
Scott T
ST
Kornienko
Alexander
A
Steelant
Wim F A
WF
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D002452:Cell Count; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018653:Juniperus / Q000737:chemistry*; D032442:Larrea / Q000737:chemistry*; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D032134:Saururaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014867:Water; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3