Cytotoxic effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Berberis vulgaris fruit extract on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells

Breast cancer has the highest cancer incidence in women. The cytotoxic activity of Berberis vulgaris fruit extract on MCF-7 cancer cells was investigated for the first time in this study.

In this experimental study, MCF-7 cancer cells were incubated in different concentrations of barberry fruit extract (31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 μg/ml) for 24 hours, and the cytotoxicity level with the MTT method, apoptosis by flow cytometry method using the annexin V/FITC/PI kit, morphological changes by fluorescence microscopy using Hoechst dye, expression of TP53 and MDM4 genes by real-time PCR method, and the activity of caspases 3 and 8 and 9 were analyzed by the colorimetric method. The interpretation of the results was made with a one-way analysis of variance. P < 0.05 was reported as significant.

The effect of barberry fruit extract on MCF-7 cells was dose-dependent, and the highest effect of the extract occurred at a concentration of 2000 μg/ml in 24 hours (IC50 = 1681 μg/ml). The results showed that the relative expression of P53 and MDM4 genes increased significantly compared to the control group (untreated) (P<0.001). The percentage of apoptotic cells increased more than 81 times compared to the control group (untreated) (P<0.001). The activity of caspases 3 and 8, and 9 increased in treated MCF-7 cells (P<0.001).

Barberry fruit extract in specific doses reduces cell growth and increases the induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 cancer cells. Barberry fruit extract has anti-cancer properties in breast cancer treatment.