The impact of medicinal plant Ocimum minimum L. on fatty acid synthesis process in breast cancer cells

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed invasive cancer and the second leading cause of cancer in women. Standard medicinal protocol for treatment of this disease implies surgery and use of chemotherapeutic drugs. It is known that these drugs are associated with resistance, cancer relapse, and numerous side effects. Researchers give great importance to natural bioactive compounds because of their conformed health beneficial effects. Ocimum minimum L. is a well-known plant in folk medicine for treating various diseases and conditions, whit a large specter of pharmaceutical activities. The aim of this study is to evaluate anticancer properties and impact on fatty acid synthesis process under the influence of O. minimum L. flowers in triple-negative breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468) and normal fetal fibroblasts (MRC-5). The impact of O. minimum L. on fatty acid synthesis process in breast cancer cells has been evaluated through cytotoxic activity by MTT assay, pro-apoptotic activity by AO/EB staining, concentrations of redox status parameters (O2.-, lipid peroxidation, GSH) by colorimetric methods. The expression of genes involved in fatty acid synthesis (ACLY, FASN, MAGL, HIF-1α) were determined by the qPCR method, while the protein expression (FASN) was analyzed by immunocytochemistry. Based on the obtained results, synergic action between bioactive compounds identified from O. minimum L. showed cytotoxic, proapoptotic, and prooxidant effects on breast cancer cell lines, as well as suppression of genes and protein (FASN) involved in fatty acid synthesis process. This plant showed significant pharmacological effects whit potential use as nutritional supplement in anticancer therapy.