Gaillardin, a sesquiterpene lactone from Inula aucheriana, inhibits the growth of human breast cancer cell lines via induction of apoptosis

Introduction: Medicinal plant extracts have been widely used for cancer treatment. Gaillardin is a natural sesquiterpene lactone that has recently been reported to have anticancer properties. The ability to induce apoptosis is an important property of a candidate anticancer drug, which discriminates between anticancer drugs and toxic compounds. The current study was therefore carried out to address the issue if Gaillardin is able to induce apoptosis in the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 and to determine the underlying mechanism of its anticancer effects. Methods: Apoptosis induction by Gaillardin treatment was confirmed by annexin VFITC/ PI staining, and caspase-3 and-9 activation. Results: Analysis of Gaillardin-treated cells by Annexin V⁄PI staining revealed that Gaillardin, in a time and concentration-dependent manner, promotes a significant level of cell death via the apoptotic pathway. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that Gaillardin inhibits growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells and may potentially serve as an agent for breast cancer therapy.

Keywords:

Gaillardin , Sesquiterpene lactone , Apoptosis , Breast cancer cell lines