In vivo and in vitro anticancer activity of Falcaria vulgaris Bernh. Extract in a murine breast cancer model.

Ethnopharmacology Relevance: Breast cancer is a prevalent disease among women, necessitating the discovery of new anti-tumor compounds. Falcaria vulgaris has traditional medicinal uses in Iran for treating ailments such as skin ulcers and gastrointestinal disorders.

Aim Of The Study: Given the cytotoxic effects of related plants, F. vulgaris may have potential for cancer treatment.

Materials And Methods: The F. vulgaris extracts were prepared using a Soxhlet apparatus and tested on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The most potent extract was tested using 24 female BALB/c mice that had been injected with the 4T1 breast cancer cell line. Mice were divided into four groups: two received low (10 mg/kg) and high (20 mg/kg) doses of the extract, and the other groups served as controls. The tumor dimensions were measured, and tissues were analyzed for gene expression via real-time PCR. GC-MS analyzed the dichloromethane (DCM) extract to identify cytotoxic compounds.

Results: The in vitro study demonstrated that the DCM extract exhibited significant activity compared to other extracts and the control (P < 0.001). The high dose of the DCM extract significantly inhibited tumor growth, reduced tumor volume in mice. This effect was linked to changes in the expression of cancer-related genes (caspase 3 and 9), as well as inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of cell death.

Conclusion: F. vulgaris demonstrated anticancer effects and can be considered a valuable plant for treating cancer in the future.