Cytotoxic effects of butanolic extract from Pfaffia paniculata (Brazilian ginseng) on cultured human breast cancer cell line MCF-7.
Roots of Pfaffia paniculata have been well documented for multifarious therapeutic values and have also been used for cancer therapy in folk medicine. This study has been performed in a human breast tumor cell line, the MCF-7 cells. These are the most commonly used model of estrogen-positive breast cancer, and it has been originally established in 1973 at the Michigan Cancer Foundation from a pleural effusion taken from a woman with metastatic breast cancer. Butanolic extract of the roots of P. paniculata showed cytotoxic effect MCF-7 cell line, as determined with crystal violet assay, cellular death with acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, and cell proliferation with immunocytochemistry of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Subcellular alterations were evaluated by electron microscopy. Cells treated with butanolic extract showed degeneration of cytoplasmic components and profound morphological and nuclear alterations. The results show that this butanolic extract indeed presents cytotoxic substances, and its fractions merit further investigations.
Nagamine
Marcia Kazumi
MK
Department of Pathology, University of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
da Silva
Tereza Cristina
TC
Matsuzaki
Patrícia
P
Pinello
Kátia Cristina
KC
Cogliati
Bruno
B
Pizzo
Célia Regina
CR
Akisue
Gokithi
G
Haraguchi
Mitsue
M
Górniak
Silvana Lima
SL
Sinhorini
Idércio Luiz
IL
Rao
Kurapati Venkata Kesava
KV
Barbuto
José Alexandre Marzagão
JA
Dagli
Maria Lúcia Zaidan
ML
D027703:Amaranthaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D000440:Butanols; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry
D000440:Butanols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine