The Effect of Dracocephalum kotschyi Alcoholic Extract on the BCL2 and BAX expression in SKBR3 Cell Line

Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among women in the worldwide and the outbreak in Iranian women is growing. Iranian patients with breast cancer are younger than their Western counterparts. Dracocephalum kotschyi is a wild-growing flowering plant belonging to the family Labiatae and found in Iran. This plant has been applied in Iran folk medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Dracocephalum kotschyi alcoholic extract on cell proliferation and viability and also the expression level of BCL2 and BAX in breast cancer cell line. Materials and methods: In this experimental study, the SKBR3 cell line was chosen for treatment with the Dracocephalum kotschyi alcoholic extract. Cell proliferation and cell viability was evaluated in the presence of various concentrations of the Dracocephalum kotschyi alcoholic extract using MTT-method. Additionally, the impact of the Dracocephalum kotschyi alcoholic extract on the expression level of BCL2 and BAX was examined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: The results indicated anticancer characteristics of the Dracocephalum kotschyi alcoholic extract on cell proliferation and cell viability. Moreover, Dracocephalum kotschyi alcoholic extract led to the decreased expression of BCL2 and increased expression of BAX. Conclusion: In overall, Dracocephalum kotschyi can be a proper choice for designing anticancer drugs as a potential candidate for major investigations on breast cancer.