Background: Many plants are known to have anticancer effects according to ancient Ayurvedic text. They are known to reduce the proliferation of cells and the size of tumour after treatment. Vardhamana Pippali Rasayana (VPR) is one the important time-tested ayurvedic medications that is also reliable in managing cancer as evidenced by the present Ayurveda practitioners with challenging results without any considerable adverse effects. However, its anti-cancer role in breast cancer is yet to be elucidated. The present study has explored the cytotoxic effects of Piper longum (Pippali) aqueous extract on human breast cancer cell line (MCF7) using various in-vitro assays.
Methods: MCF7 cells were treated with different concentrations of aqueous extract of pippali (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 3.75, 5.0, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 50 μg/μl). The cytotoxic activity was analysed using MTT assay. DNA cell cycle analysis and apoptosis assay were performed in pippali aqueous extract treated and untreated MCF-7 cells.
Results: The effect of the pippali aqueous extract on MCF-7 proliferation was analysed after 24 h of pippali treatment using MTT assay which revealed the IC50 value of the extract to be 3.125 μg/μl. Additionally, the same IC50 concentration was also used to analyse the effect of pippali extract on apoptosis and DNA cell cycle of MCF7 cells. Induction of apoptosis and increased cell death were observed in pippali-treated cells compared with untreated cells. Moreover, G0/G1 arrest was detected in pippali-treated cells compared to untreated cells.
Conclusion: The above-mentioned results indicate that VPR might have strong anti-cancerous potential. However, other functional assays are warranted to validate the drug's efficacy against breast cancer which will be done in our lab soon.