Evaluation of Cytotoxicity Effects of Oleo-Gum-Resin and Its Essential Oil of Ferula assa-foetida and Ferulic Acid on 4T1 Breast Cancer Cells

BACKGROUND Cancer causes significant morbidity and mortality and is a major public health problem worldwide. Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality in women, and the incidence is also on the rise in the entire world. Medicinal plants have been an important source of several clinically useful anticancer agents. AIM In this study, we studied the growth inhibitory effect of asafoetida and its essential oil and ferulic acid on antitumor activity using mouse breast cancer cell line. MATERIALS AND METHODS For this aim, cells were exposed to these components at different concentrations and for different time durations. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was carried out to characterize the cytotoxicity of the constituents used. RESULTS Our results showed that all three constituents could inhibit 4T1 cell proliferation. Our MTT assay results showed a significant cytotoxicity effect in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. It also demonstrated that essential oil of asafoetida has a stronger effect in decreasing viability breast cancer cells. Ferulic acid showed a significant effect only at a dose of 500 μg/ml. CONCLUSIONS Based on the results of cellular carried out in this study, we could demonstrate that asafoetida and its essential oil and ferulic acid have inhibitory effect on the growth of breast cancer cell line. As evidenced from these preliminary results, asafoetida and its derivative constituents may be considered as attractive alternatives to serve as lead compounds in drug development for breast cancer as an adjuvant therapy. However, much remains to be done before such agent could be introduced to the clinic.