Inhibition of breast tumor growth and angiogenesis by a medicinal herb: Ocimum gratissimum

Abstract

Ocimum sp. is a traditionally used medicinal herb, which shows anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogenic, radio-protective and free radical scavenging properties. So far no detailed studies have been reported on its effects on human cancers. Thus, we analyzed its effects on human breast cancer utilizing in vitro and in vivo methodologies. Aqueous extracts were prepared from the mature leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (OG) cultivated devoid of pesticides. Tumor progression and angiogenesis related processes like chemotaxis, proliferation, apoptosis, 3D growth and morphogenesis, angiogenesis and tumor growth were studied in the presence or absence of the extract, and in some experiments a comparison was made with purified commercially available eugenol, apigenin and ursolic acid. Aqueous OG leaf extract inhibits proliferation, migration, anchorage independent growth, 3D growth and morphogenesis and induction of COX-2 protein in breast cancer cells. A comparative analysis with eugenol, apigenin and ursolic acid showed that the inhibitory effects on chemotaxis and 3D morphogenesis of breast cancer cells were specific to OG extract. In addition, OG extracts reduced tumor size and neoangiogenesis in a MCF10 DCIS.com xenograft model of human DCIS. This is the first detailed report showing that OG leaf extract may be of value as a breast cancer preventive and therapeutic agent and might be considered as additional additive in the arsenal of components aimed at combating breast cancer progression and metastasis. ' 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Ocimum gratissimumretards breast cancer growth and progression and is a natural inhibitor of matrix metalloproteases

“…Many of these activities are inhibited by OG. 2,38 As OG has been consumed by humans for centuries, and our in vivo data showed no toxic side effects in nude mice upto a dose equivalent of 800 mg/kg body weight, we propose that it has the potential to be developed into a suitable MMP inhibitor. We presume that these doses are effective as inhibition of tumor growth and progression to comedo along when major peaks were observed as well as on a time basis when clusters of small peaks eluted.…”

“…Chemotaxis was performed using a Boyden chamber (Neuroprobe) as described earlier. 2 In the lower chamber, 100 μg/mL Matrigel (BD Biosciences) alone or mixed with various concentrations of crude OG, HB or HL extracts or the appropriate vehicles were added. MDA-MB-231 (5 × 10 4 ) cells were loaded in the upper chamber.…”

“…5 mammary gland nipple of NCR nu/nu female mice (Taconic) as previously described. 2,36 One week before the injections, mice were randomly divided into four groups of 6 mice each and fed ad libitum with drinking water supplemented with 4 mg/mL lyophilized OG, HB or HL. The control group received regular drinking water.…”

“…In recent years, resurging interest in its medicinal properties has led to several studies demonstrating its anti-carcinogenic, radiation-protecting and free-radical scavenging activities. 1 Aqueous extract of Ocimum gratissimum inhibits proliferation, migration, anchorage-independent growth, induction of COX-2 protein and three-dimensional growth and morphogenesis of breast cancer cells, 2 while others have shown that it suppressed A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells' viability by activation of apoptotic signals and reducing the expression levels of Bcl-2. 3 Ethanolic extracts of Ocimum sanctum were reported to be cytotoxic to mouse Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells and reduced number of tumor nodule formation in LLC-injected mice.…”

In vitro Medicinal Studies on Ocimum gratissimum Leaves

“…Ocimum gratissimum is also used to treat different diseases including upper respiratory tract infections, diarrhea, headache, ophthalmic, skin diseases, pneumonia, and also as a treatment for cough, fever and conjunctivitis [2][3]. The aqueous leaf extract and seed oil showed antiproliferative and chemo-preventive activity on HeLa cells [4][5] reported that, aqueous extract of O. gratissimum leaves inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis by affecting tumor cell proliferation, migration, morphogenesis, stromal apoptosis and induction of inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2). In this study, we intend to analyze the phytochemicals, investigate the in vitro antioxidant activities and analyze the mineral components of Ocimum gratissimum…”