Cytotoxic effect of an aqueous extract of Lepidium sativum L. seeds on human breast cancer cells

Easily available alternative and natural remedies for breast cancer are sought to reduce or eliminate the disadvantages of conventional treatments. Garden cress seeds (L. sativum L.) are known to contain several chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic constituents. The effect of L. sativum plant extract on cancers is generally attributed to the constituent isothiocyanates, specifically benzyl isothiocyanate, which are also present in the seeds. The current work examines, for the first time, the cytotoxic effect of the aqueous extract of L. sativum seeds on MCF-7 breast cancer cells, using the trypan blue dye exclusion and sulforhodamine B assays, compared to its effect on normal human I-IFS cells. The MCF-7 cell culture morphology, after exposure to the extract, was studied using light microscopy. Finally, HPLC was used to ascertain whether benzyl isothiocyanate is contained in the seeds extract. The results showed that the L. sativum seeds aqueous extract had a significant cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells, by causing significant time- and dose-dependent decreases in their viability. In contrast, the HFS cells were significantly more resistant to the cytotoxic effect of the extract. Therefore, the current study provides strong evidence of the L. sativum seeds extract's ability to inhibit growth of breast cancer cells.