Background & Aims: Medical plants have been intensively studied as a source of antitumor compounds. The antitumor effects of the Scrophularia oxysepala medicinal plant extract is not studied on the 4T1 mouse breast cancer cell lines. In the present study, cytotoxic effects of the Scrophularia oxysepala extract were investigated on viability of 4T1 cells, mouse breast cancer cell line.

Materials & Methods: The cytotoxic effects of Scrophularia oxysepala on 4T1 cells were studied using MTT assay, Trypan blue staining, and DNA fragmentation assay were done at selected concentrations of the plant extract.

Results: According to the findings, the Scrophularia oxysepala medicinal plant extract (stems and leaves) can alter cells morphology. So the Scrophularia oxysepala extract inhibits cell growth albeit in a time and dose dependent manner and results in degradation of chromosomal DNA.

Conclusion: Our data well established the anti-proliferative effect of Scrophularia oxysepala extract, and clearly showed that the plant extract can induce apoptosis in vitro, but the mechanism of its activities remained unclear.

SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2016: 26(10): 851 ISSN: 1027-3727