Anti-cancer effects of frankincense methanolic extract on brain metastatic breast cancer cells
Objective: Brain metastasis in patients with breast cancer is considered a deadly event. The oleogum resins of Boswellia species, known as Frankincense has been found to have anti-cancer properties in many studies. The main purpose of our research was to evaluate these effects on brain metastatic c...
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Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine |
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| Online Access: | https://ajp.mums.ac.ir/article_24655_a8e8bf23dda14da314b168a222f572c2.pdf |
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| author | Mohammad Kamalabadi-Farahani Fatemeh Jamshidi Adegani Roqaye Karimi Amir Atashi |
| author_facet | Mohammad Kamalabadi-Farahani Fatemeh Jamshidi Adegani Roqaye Karimi Amir Atashi |
| author_sort | Mohammad Kamalabadi-Farahani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Brain metastasis in patients with breast cancer is considered a deadly event. The oleogum resins of Boswellia species, known as Frankincense has been found to have anti-cancer properties in many studies. The main purpose of our research was to evaluate these effects on brain metastatic cancer cells.Materials and Methods: Primary (4T1T) and brain metastatic (4T1B) tumor cells were isolated from breast cancerous mice. Cytotoxic, apoptotic, and anti-metastatic effects of the methanolic extract of frankincense were evaluated with MTT assay, propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometric assay, and scratch test, respectively. Zymography assay was used to evaluate the effects of extract on the matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2 /9) expression/activity.Results: The methanolic extract of frankincense has significant cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on 4T1B cells (p<0.001). Interestingly, 4T1B cells are more prone to these effects than 4T1T cells. In 4T1B, the anti-metastatic effects of frankincense extract were confirmed. Frankincense suppressed MMP-2/9 protein expression both in 4T1T and 4T1B.Conclusion: Our findings indicated that frankincense extract has a potent cytotoxic effect on brain metastatic tumor cells and induces apoptosis in these cells. Unlike many anti-cancer drugs which have very little ability to combat and kill brain metastatic cancer cells, frankincense extract can be considered a suitable candidate to fight these cells. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aa05963b5c744f8c95b4fb4bcea6f33a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2228-7930 2228-7949 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Mashhad University of Medical Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-aa05963b5c744f8c95b4fb4bcea6f33a2025-08-20T01:51:24ZengMashhad University of Medical SciencesAvicenna Journal of Phytomedicine2228-79302228-79492025-01-0115177678310.22038/ajp.2024.2465524655Anti-cancer effects of frankincense methanolic extract on brain metastatic breast cancer cellsMohammad Kamalabadi-Farahani0Fatemeh Jamshidi Adegani1Roqaye Karimi2Amir Atashi3Department of Tissue Engineering, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, IranLaboratory for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, P. O. Box: 33, PC 616, OmanDepartment of Hematology and Cell Therapy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, IranDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, IranObjective: Brain metastasis in patients with breast cancer is considered a deadly event. The oleogum resins of Boswellia species, known as Frankincense has been found to have anti-cancer properties in many studies. The main purpose of our research was to evaluate these effects on brain metastatic cancer cells.Materials and Methods: Primary (4T1T) and brain metastatic (4T1B) tumor cells were isolated from breast cancerous mice. Cytotoxic, apoptotic, and anti-metastatic effects of the methanolic extract of frankincense were evaluated with MTT assay, propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometric assay, and scratch test, respectively. Zymography assay was used to evaluate the effects of extract on the matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2 /9) expression/activity.Results: The methanolic extract of frankincense has significant cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on 4T1B cells (p<0.001). Interestingly, 4T1B cells are more prone to these effects than 4T1T cells. In 4T1B, the anti-metastatic effects of frankincense extract were confirmed. Frankincense suppressed MMP-2/9 protein expression both in 4T1T and 4T1B.Conclusion: Our findings indicated that frankincense extract has a potent cytotoxic effect on brain metastatic tumor cells and induces apoptosis in these cells. Unlike many anti-cancer drugs which have very little ability to combat and kill brain metastatic cancer cells, frankincense extract can be considered a suitable candidate to fight these cells.https://ajp.mums.ac.ir/article_24655_a8e8bf23dda14da314b168a222f572c2.pdffrankincensebrain metastasistriple negative breast cancerantimetastatic |
| spellingShingle | Mohammad Kamalabadi-Farahani Fatemeh Jamshidi Adegani Roqaye Karimi Amir Atashi Anti-cancer effects of frankincense methanolic extract on brain metastatic breast cancer cells Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine frankincense brain metastasis triple negative breast cancer antimetastatic |
| title | Anti-cancer effects of frankincense methanolic extract on brain metastatic breast cancer cells |
| title_full | Anti-cancer effects of frankincense methanolic extract on brain metastatic breast cancer cells |
| title_fullStr | Anti-cancer effects of frankincense methanolic extract on brain metastatic breast cancer cells |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anti-cancer effects of frankincense methanolic extract on brain metastatic breast cancer cells |
| title_short | Anti-cancer effects of frankincense methanolic extract on brain metastatic breast cancer cells |
| title_sort | anti cancer effects of frankincense methanolic extract on brain metastatic breast cancer cells |
| topic | frankincense brain metastasis triple negative breast cancer antimetastatic |
| url | https://ajp.mums.ac.ir/article_24655_a8e8bf23dda14da314b168a222f572c2.pdf |
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