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Ocimum gratissimum retards breast cancer growth and progression and is a natural inhibitor of matrix metalloproteases.

Ocimum gratissimum retards breast cancer growth and progression and is a natural inhibitor of matrix metalloproteases.

Authors :
Nangia-Makker P
Raz T
Tait L
Shekhar MP
Li H
Balan V
Makker H
Fridman R
Maddipati K
Raz A
Source :
Cancer biology & therapy [Cancer Biol Ther] 2013 May; Vol. 14 (5), pp. 417-27. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Feb 04.
Publication Year :
2013

Abstract

Ocimum genus (a.k.a holy basil or tulsi) is a dietary herb used for its multiple beneficial pharmacologic properties including anti-cancer activity. Here we show that crude extract of Ocimum gratissimum (OG) and its hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions (HB and HL) differentially inhibit breast cancer cell chemotaxis and chemoinvasion in vitro and retard tumor growth and temporal progression of MCF10ADCIS.com xenografts, a model of human breast comedo-ductal carcinoma in situ (comedo-DCIS). OG-induced inhibition of tumor growth was associated with decreases in basement membrane disintegration, angiogenesis and MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities as confirmed by in situ gelatin zymography and cleavage of galectin-3. There was also decrease in MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in the conditioned media of OG-treated MCF10AT1 and MCF10AT1-EIII8 premalignant human breast cancer cells as compared with control. The MMP-2 and MMP-9 inhibitory activities of OG were verified in vitro using gelatin, a synthetic fluorogenic peptide and recombinant galectin-3 as MMP substrates. Mice fed on OG-supplemented drinking water showed no adverse effects compared with control. These data suggest that OG is non-toxic and that the anti-cancer therapeutic activity of OG may in part be contributed by its MMP inhibitory activity.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1555-8576
Volume :
14
Issue :
5
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Cancer biology & therapy
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
23380593
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.4161/cbt.23762