Brazilein performs anticancer activities on several cancer cells and potentially inhibits metastasis. The aims of this study is to observe the synergistic cytotoxic and migration inhibitory effect of brazilein combined with cisplatin on 4T1 breast cancer cells. Under MTT assay, we found that brazilein revealed cytotoxic effect on 4T1 cells in a dosedependent manner (IC 50 =50 ± 0.3 µM). Combination of brazilein and cisplatin showed synergistic effect (CI=0.72). Flowcytometry analysis on the cell cycle progression showed that single treatment of 25 µM brazilein induced G2/Mphase accumulation, 12.5 µM cisplatin induced Sphase accumulation, while combination of brazilein and cisplatin induced Sphase and G2/M phase accumulation. Combination of brazilein and cisplatin induced apoptosis higher than that of the single treatments. Based on wound healing assay, 12.5 µM brazilein and its combination with 6.25 µM cisplatin inhibited cells migration. Immunoblotting and gelatin zymography analysis showed that combination of brazilein and cisplatin inhibited the expression level of Rac1 and MMP9 proteins. Based on these results, we conclude that brazilein enhanced cytotoxic activity of cisplatin and inhibited migration on 4T1 cells and potentially can be developed as an enhancing cytotoxic and antimetastasis agent.

Overexpression of HER2 in breast cancer cell is found on invasive breast cancer and correlated with worse prognosis. Caesalpinia sappan L shows cytotoxic activity on various cancer cells. The goal of this research is to determine the cytotoxic activity and inhibition of migration and invasion of ethyl acetate fraction of Caesalpinia sappan L. (FEA) on HER2 overexpression-breast cancer cells (MCF-7/HER2). The MTT and flow cytometry assay showed that FEA revealed cytotoxic effect in a dose-dependent manner (IC50= 34±3.1 µg/mL) and induced apoptosis, S and G2/M phase accumulation. Wound healing assay, gelatin zymography and immunoblotting assay showed that FEA inhibited migration and suppressed MMP2, MMP9, HER2 and Rac1 protein level. Thus, ethyl acetate fraction of Caesalpinia sappan L. is potential to be developed on future research especially to treat metastatic breast cancer with HER2 overexpression.

Drug discovery for cancer medication is the most important effort that researcher do at this time. Indonesia bio diversities have possibility as a cancer medicine sources. Finding a herbal medicine for cancer treatment is a first step to find a right cancer medicine in the future. This research has already completed for the earlier another research. Some fractions of Hedyotis corymbosa extract has been analyzed using Sulforhodamine B method with UV wavelength 515 nm against T47D cell line, a human breast cancer. There are Hexane extract, Methylene chloride extract and Ethyl acetate extract, and give inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50)  of 33.45 µg/ml, 54.59 µg/ml and 52.58 µg/ml, respectively. Ethanolic extract, itself has IC50 of 61.57 µg/ml, whereas IC50 value of Cisplatinum is  9.63 µg/ml. There is a difference between the ethanolic extracts with the other fraction.Keywords: breast cancer, herbal medicine, T47D, Hedyotis corymbosa

Hedyotis corymbosa L., with local name rumput mutiara, is an anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and hepatoprotective traditional medicine. The ethanol extract of H. corymbosa L. shows inhibitory activity to human YMB-1 breast cancer cell line with an IC 50 of 6.51 µg/mL. The methylene chloride fraction shows a potential cytotoxic activity with an IC 50 of 2.75 µg/mL. To obtain a lead compound, the extract was further purified by column chromatography. A pure compound is obtained which shows inhibitory activities against YMB-1, HL60 and KB human cell lines with IC 50 values of 0.7; 11.0 and 104.2 µg/mL, respectively. Based on the 1D and 2D FT-NMR data, the isolated compound is an asperuloside.

In the current economic crisis, the use of plant medicine for cancer prevention should be investigated. Coix lachryma Linn and Asparagus cochinchinensis Linn are among eleven of species of medicinal plants that are noted as plant medicine for cancer in Indonesia, although their mechanism of action are still unknown. The eleven plants were screened using in vitro methods, Sulforhodamin B against breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and skin (KB). The research included a maceration process using ethanol as solvent and an anti-cancer testing process in vitro using Sulforhodamin B indicated by the value of percentage viability. Extracts were classed as being 'active anticancer' if they showed IC50 values below 100 ppm.. Coix lachryma Linn. and Asparagus cochinchinensis Linn. show breast and skin anticancer activity with IC50 values 6.51 ppm and 11.3 ppm of MCF-7 cells. The ethanol plant extracts were further extracted using various solvents with increasing polarity: n-hexane, methylene chloride, and ethyl acetate. The methylene chloride extract of Coix lachryma Linn. had IC50 = 2.75 ppm against MCF-7 cells. Against KB cells, methylene chloride extracts of Coix lachryma Linn. gave IC50 = 5.16 ppm. For Asparagus cochinchinensis Linn., an ethyl acetate extract had IC50 = 3.70 ppm against KB cancer cells and IC50 = 9.80 ppm against MCF-7 cancer cells. These data indicated that both plants can be used as anticancer drugs on breast and skin cancers.