Biochanin A inhibits breast cancer tumor growth in a murine xenograft model.
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to determine the effect of the flavonoid biochanin A (BCA), administered alone or in combination with the flavonoids quercetin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), on the growth of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells in a murine xenograft animal model.


METHODS
MCF-7 tumors were implanted into mice and groups of mice were treated with vehicle, BCA at 2 doses (5 or 15 mg/kg), quercetin and EGCG (5 mg/kg each), or BCA combined with quercetin and EGCG (5 mg/kg each). The flavonoids were injected once daily intraperitoneally, with treatment starting 4 weeks prior to cell inoculation.


RESULTS
Treatment with 15 mg/kg of BCA or the mixture of the 3 flavonoids resulted in a reduction in tumor incidence. Tumor size in xenograft mice treated with 15 mg/kg BCA was significantly smaller than in the control group. Although quercetin/EGCG administration did not affect tumor size, treatment with the mixture of the 3 flavonoids at doses of 5 mg/kg produced similar effects as seen with 15 mg/kg BCA.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that BCA inhibits tumor growth in a xenograft animal model; BCA may represent a breast cancer preventive agent, either administered alone or in combination with other flavonoids.
Moon
Young Jin
YJ
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 517 Hochstetter Hall, Amherst, New York 14260-1200, USA.
Shin
Beom Soo
BS
An
Guohua
G
Morris
Marilyn E
ME
D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019833:Genistein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D002392:Catechin; D011794:Quercetin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate; D019833:Genistein; C004541:biochanin A