Effects of Salvia officinalis essential oil on induction of apoptosis in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells

Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in women and the fifth most common type of cancer in Iranian women. Salvia officinalis is one of the most important genus of dark mint, most species of which have medicinal properties and are widely used in traditional medicine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the essential oil of salvia on the rate of proliferation and apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. The salvia officinalis plant was prepared from the Iranian Biological Research Center and the oil obtained by Clevenger apparatus and its components identified by gas chromatography. Ovarian cancer cells of SKOV3 type were treated with different concentrations of (100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 µg/ml) and their viability assessed by trypan blue absorption and MTT at three time periods of 24, 48 and 72 hours and the rate of induction of cellular apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. Cell survival decreased with increasing concentration of essential oils in a dose-dependent manner. The IC50 level of Salvia officinalis essential oil for 48 hours was 300 μg/ml. Induction of apoptosis was also dose-dependent, and apoptosis index increased significantly at a dose of 600 μg / ml. Based on the results, it can be concluded that Salvia officinalis essential oils can reduce the biological ability and increase the apoptosis of SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell cancer.