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DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1084082
In vitro testing of biological action of Origanum species from Greek flora in various cancer cell lines
The Origanum species (Lamiaceae family), which are commonly used herbs, contain phenolic compounds; however, their estrogenic effects remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the possible estrogenic/antiestrogenic effects of extracts (dichloromethanic, methanolic, aqueous) derived from three Origanum species of Greek origin, (O. dictamnus, O. scabrum, O. microphyllum) by using the appropriate biological markers in various estrogen-dependent cellular systems. We evaluated the potential of (i) dichloromethanic, methanolic and aqueous extracts (at a concentration range of 0.2–125µg/ml), to modulate cell viability of MCF-7 and MDA breast cancer cell lines, Ishikawa endometrial and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines, by use of the MTT assay and (ii) of methanolic extracts (at a concentration range of 0.1–100µg/ml) to influence the activity of estrogen receptor (ER) in MCF-7 cells transfected with an estrogen response element (ERE)-driven luciferase (Luc) reporter gene. Ishikawa, MDA and PC-3 cell lines showed no response to all Origanum extracts tested. The viability of MCF-7 breast cancer cells showed a small but significant increase when exposed to methanolic extracts. O. dictamnus and O. scabrum extracts (at a concentration range of 2–100µg/ml), in the absence and in the presence of 17β-estradiol (E2), reduced the luciferase activity significantly. O. microphyllum methanolic extract, when alone, increased the basal luciferase activity, whereas its co-incubation with estradiol inhibited significantly the E2-stimulated gene induction. Concluding, the methanolic extracts of the three Origanum species modulate the cellular growth and estrogenic/antiestrogenic potency in MCF-7 cells indicating an impact of this dietary substance on human health.