Effect of Chinese Herbal Therapy on Breast Cancer Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines

Abstract

Despite the widespread use of medicinal herbs to prevent and treat many diseases, including cancer, there are insufficient scientific data on the safety and efficacy of the majority of herbal therapies. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a unique Chinese herbal therapy (CHT) from controlled manufactured concentrated powders, on an in vitro model of breast cancer. Three breast adenocarcinoma cell lines (MDA-231, MDA-453, T47D) were exposed to CHT for 72 h. Cell viability was assessed by XTT (sodium 3'-[1-(phenylaminocarbonyl)-3, 4-tetra zolium]-bis(4-methoxy-6-nitro) benzene sulphonic acid hydrate) assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle stage were determined by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis. CHT decreased cell survival in a dose-dependent manner in all tested cell lines. FACS analysis of treated and non-treated T47D cells demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of CHT was associated with an increase in apoptosis. A randomized clinical trial is currently underway to investigate CHT as supplementary therapy for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

Immunomodulatory effects of the botanical compound LCS101: implications for cancer treatment

“…LCS101 has been shown in prior research to have anticancer effects in an in vitro model,10 as well as protective effects against chemotherapy-induced hematological toxicities 11. The exact mechanism of these outcomes is as yet unclear, though it is likely that the effects of the compound on the immune response may have important indirect anticancer effects.…”

“…LCS101 also demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth in a T47D cell line, and an increase in the percentage of cells with subdiploid DNA content, the hallmark of apoptosis, in a dose-dependent manner 10. In an in vivo murine breast cancer model, the addition of LCS101 to doxorubicin was shown to significantly improve peripheral neutrophil counts, as well as preserving splenic erythrocyte and leukocyte counts (unpublished data).…”

Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine for Cancer Patients

“…Many in vivo experiments showed effectiveness on cell cultures and in animal models [50–53], but translation from bench to bedside is still a difficult challenge. This research, mainly focusing on single active compound, has been done often without regard to preexisting knowledge of the therapeutic utility of the plant source [54].…”

Anti-tumor Properties of Prunella vulgaris

“…Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is often considered as complementary to Western medicine in treating various types of cancer. It is a major part of the use of botanical medicine that is widespread in all regions of developing world and is consistently growing in popularity in industrialized countries, especially among patients diagnosed with cancer [1]. Prunella vulgaris, a perennial herb, grows natively across East Asia throughout China, Japan, Korea, and Europe.…”