Cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction in breast cancer, skin cancer and glioblastoma cells by plant extracts

Medicinal plants can be candidate as a common alternative for cancer treatment according to natural landscaping and native plants in each country. The aim of this study was the evaluations of cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest induction by using seven leaves extracts of Catharanthus roseus, Calystegia sepium, Berberis integerrima, Mahonia fortunei, Melia azedarach, Plantago major, Betula pendula and one bulb extract of Narcissus tazetta. Extracts were assessed on three cancer cell lines including MCF-7 breast cancer cells, A431 epidermal cell line, and U87-MG glioma cell line that were compared to HGF-1 as normal cells. According to analysis of MTT, methanolic extract of C. sepium leaves increased significantly the rate of cell death in all cancer cell lines when compared to HGF-1 as normal cells. Among different extracts, methanolic extract of C. roseus leaves and methanolic extract of C. sepium leaves indicated a crucial role in apoptosis of cancer cells according to evidences from MTT assay, cell cycle analysis, and apoptosis assay. Doxorubicin has been used as standard drug to compare with IC50 s of different extracts. In addition, the encapsulation of methanolic and ethanolic extracts in small unilamellar vesicles form (SUV) increased the cytotoxicity on cancer cell lines and normal cells. Our results indicated that different extracts can differently affect the cytotoxicity rate in variety of cancer cell lines.