Shiva Mosadegh Manshadi - Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Nadali - Department of Hematology and Blood Banking, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Reza Shams Ardekani - Department of Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background: Amygdalin is a glycoside ingredient of rosacea plants that exerts an antitumor effect by blocking the growth of the tumor cells. Therefore, we aimed to use the Armeniacae semen, a member of the Rosacea family, which contains a large amount of the amygdalin, to evaluate its antiproliferative effect on MCF-۷, MDA-MB-۲۳۱, and T۴۷D breast cancer cell lines. Method: In this experimental study, we prepared the aqueous, ethyl acetate, and hydro-alcoholic extracts of the Armeniacae semen. The MCF-۷, MDA-MB-۲۳۱, and T۴۷D cell lines were treated with different doses of the extracts for ۱۲, ۲۴, ۳۶, and ۴۸ hours; cell viability was investigated with MTT test and cell apoptosis was detected by use of double staining fluorescent. Cell cycle progression was analyzed using a BD Cycle TEST PLUS DNA Kit. We also assessed Bcl۲, Bax, and caspase-۳ mRNA expression. Results: The best IC۵۰s belonged to hydro-alcoholic extract of the Armeniacae semen in all three cell lines for the ۴۸-hour treatment. We observed a significant increase in Bax and caspase-۳ mRNA expression and a noticeable reduction in Bcl۲ mRNA compared with the controls. Application of amygdalin to MCF-۷, MDA-MB-۲۳۱, and T۴۷D cell lines increased the number of G۰/G۱ cells and reduced the number of cells at G۲/M phasecompared to the controls. Conclusion: This study showed that the hydro-alcoholic extract of Prunus armeniaca had antitumor effects on breast cancer cell lines as it inhibited the cell cycle at G۰/G۱ phase and apoptosis induction in the MCF-۷, MDA-MB-۲۳۱, and T۴۷D cell lines.

Armeniacae semen, Breast neoplasms, Cell Cycle, Caspase ۳, Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-۲, Bax