Anticancer Properties of Teucrium persicum in PC-3 Prostate Cancer Cells

Abstract

Crude extracts or phytochemicals obtained from some plants have potential anti-cancer properties. Teucriumpersicum is an Iranian endemic plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family which has traditionally been used torelieve abdominal pains. However, the anti-cancer properties of this species of the Teucrium genus have notbeen investigated previously. In this study, we have used a highly invasive prostate cancer cell line, PC-3, whichis an appropriate cell system to study anti-tumor properties of plants. A methanolic extract obtained from Tpersicum potently inhibited viability of PC-3 cells. The viability of SW480 colon and T47D breast cancer cellswas also significantly decreased in the presence of the T persicum extract. Flow cytometry suggested that thereduction of cell viability was due to induction of apoptosis. In addition, the results of wound healing andgelatin zymography experiments supported anti-cell invasion activity of T persicum. Interestingly, sublethalconcentrations of T persicum extract induced an epithelial-like morphology in a subpopulation of cells with anincrease in E-Cadherin and β-Catenin protein levels at the cell membrane. These results strongly suggest thatT persicum is a plant with very potent anti-tumor activity