Evaluation of the cell cytotoxicity effect of Crocin obtained from Iranian saffron,against breast cancer cell lines

Our previous studies indicated the anticancer effect of saffron carotenoids. Crocin is the main carotenoids of saffron stigma. The incidence of breast cancer is increasing and has been known as the first lethal cancer among women. In this study, we investigated the effect of crocin on different breast cancer cell lines. MTT assay was used to determine IC50 of crocin in five breast cancer lines, including: MCF7, MDA-MB 468, MDA-MB 231,MCF10A and BT20. The IC50 of crocin was obtained between 3500-4000 µg/ml among these cells with different features of expression of ER, PR and HER2. Although MCF10A has been introduced as normal breast cancer cell in the literature, but because of having some mutations, it is also died due to crocin administration. We suggest that the cell cytotoxic effect of this saffron ingredient has no dependency on ER, PR and HER2 receptor. The results of this study have shown that this saffron ingredient could be used as a chemotherapeutic agent for breast cancer

Keywords:

Saffron , Crocin , Breast cancer cell lines