The effects of hydro alcoholic extract of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) leaves on culturedmouse breast cancer cells

Salvia officinalis L. (sage) is one of the herbs with anti-proliferative, cytotoxic and anti-carcinogenesis effects which turn it into one of the candidates in cancer therapy. In this study, the effects of sage hydro alcoholic extract on mouse breast cancer cell line (4T1) were examined. Cultured cells were treated with different concentrations (0, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 10000 μg/ml) of Sage hydro alcoholic extract for 24 hours. Cell viability, chromatin condensation and apoptosis induction were determined using Neutral Red, Aniline Blue and Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide staining, respectively. Bax and Bcl2 genes expression were measured using Reverse transcriptase PCR. Following treatment withsage extract, decrease in cell viability and increase in chromatin condensation were observed in a dose dependent manner. Most cultured cells were in the early stages of apoptosis in 50 and 100 μg/ml and in the late stages of apoptosis in 500 μg/ml of the extract. While Bax expression was increased with up to 50 μg/ml of sage extract, no significant change was observed in the levels of Bcl2 expression. Altogether, these findings demonstrate the cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects of sage hydro alcoholic extract on mouse breast cancer cell line through increase in Bax/Bcl2 ratio (apoptotic index).

Keywords:

Apoptosis , Cell culture , Mouse breast cancer cells (4T1) , Sage (Salvia officinalis L.)