title: Evaluation of the Anticancer Activities of the Plant Alkaloids Sanguinarine and Chelerythrine in Human Breast Adenocarcinoma Cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is associated with a high mortality rate around the world due to its aggressiveness and high resistance to conventional therapies. Sanguinarine (SAN) and Chelerythrine (CHE) are plant alkaloids extracted from Sanguinaria canadensis and Macleaya cordata, which have been studied for their bioactivities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the anticancer activities of Sanguinarine (SAN) and Chelerythrine (CHE) plant alkaloids.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MTT assay, the alkaline comet assay and cell cycle analyses by flow cytometry were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was observed that SAN was cytotoxic to human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7) at concentrations of 7.5 µM (24 and 48 hours), effectively reducing cell viability from the concentration of 10 µM for 24 hours and 7.5 µM for 48 hours, by the MTT test. CHE, in turn, was cytotoxic at concentrations of 10 and 20 µM (48 hours), but did not compromise the cellular viability. The comet assay indicated that SAN was genotoxic to the MCF-7 cells, with a significant increment of damage at 10 µM, while none of the tested concentrations of CHE showed a genotoxic effect. The flow cytometry analysis indicated that no cell cycle arrest was caused by both alkaloids, but SAN 10 µM induced a sub-G1 cell population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and cell cycle monitoring that are presented in this paper have suggested that SAN has more of a chemotherapeutic activity, as well as having the potential for the development of new therapies for breast cancer, when compared to CHE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology, State University of Maringa, Avenida Colombo, 5.790, Bloco H67, Sala 11, Jardim Universitario, 87020-900, Maringa, Parana. Brazil.
authors.forename: Igor V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology, State University of Maringa, Avenida Colombo, 5.790, Bloco H67, Sala 11, Jardim Universitario, 87020-900, Maringa, Parana. Brazil.
authors.forename: Liliane M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Department of General Biology, State University of Londrina, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, P.O. Box: 10011, Zip Code: 86057-970, Londrina. Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Biazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology, State University of Maringa, Avenida Colombo, 5.790, Bloco H67, Sala 11, Jardim Universitario, 87020-900, Maringa, Parana. Brazil.
authors.forename: Veronica E P
authors.initials: VEP
authors.lastname: Vicentini
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053119:Benzophenanthridines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D028101:Papaveraceae / Q000737:chemistry; D031681:Sanguinaria / Q000737:chemistry; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D053119:Benzophenanthridines; D007546:Isoquinolines; C005705:sanguinarine; C016299:chelerythrine
keywords: Apoptosis; DNA damage; MCF-7 cells.; benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloid; breast cancer; cell viability