title: Antitumoral effects of Melissa officinalis on breast cancer in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a long standing interest in the identification of medicinal plants and derived natural products for developing cancer therapeutics. Here we investigated the antiproliferative properties of Melissa officinalis (MO) from Turkey on breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  MO extracts were studied for cytotoxicity against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231). In vitro apoptosis studies were performed by annexin V staining and flow cytometry analyses. Immunohistochemistry for Ki-67 and caspase 7 in the tumoral tissue sections of DMBA-induced mammary tumors in rats was also performed, along with TUNEL assays to detect apoptotic cells. In vivo anticancer activity testing was carried out with reference to inhibition of growth of DMBA induced mammary tumors in rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MO showed cytotoxicity against three cancer cell lines, inducing increase in Annexin-positive cells. Expression of caspase-7 protein and TUNEL positive cells were much higher in rats treated by MO, compared with the untreated control group, while expression of Ki-67 was decreased. Furthermore, in vivo studies showed that mean tumor volume inhibition ratio in MO treated group was 40% compared with the untreated rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicated that MO extrcts have antitumoral potential against breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serpil Unver
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Saraydin
authors.forename: Ersin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Bektaş
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tepe
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karadayi
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Özer
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Şen
authors.forename: Kursat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karadayi
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Inan
authors.forename: Şahande
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Elagöz
authors.forename: Zübeyde
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duman
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D053179:Caspase 7 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D031334:Melissa; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053179:Caspase 7