Protective Role of Royal Jelly on the Growth of the MCF-10A Cell Line Treated with Cisplatin

Background: Royal jelly (RJ) possesses numerous beneficial properties. When used in conjunction with pharmacological agents, it may enhance the inhibition of tumor growth and help manage the side effects induced by drugs. Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the simultaneous effects of RJ and cisplatin on the growth rate of normal breast cells. Methods: The MCF-10A cell line (CRL-10317) was obtained from the Avicenna Research Institute cell bank in Iran. Following cell culture (at 37℃ in an incubator with 5% Co2), the cells were treated with serial concentrations of cisplatin and RJ, ranging from 0 to 5 - 10 - 20 - 30 - 40 - 50 - 75 - 100 - 250 μg/mL and 500 μg/mL, respectively, for durations of 24, 48, and 72 hours. Cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay, with one-way ANOVA and post-hoc tests (LSD and Tukey) for statistical analysis. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch (IR.IAU.PS.REC.1401.138). Results: Cisplatin alone reduced MCF-10A cell growth across all time points (P < 0.0001). Royal jelly at concentrations above 40 μg/mL increased cell growth after 48 hours (P = 0.00217) and 72 hours (P < 0.0001). Combined treatment initially decreased growth (P < 0.0001), but higher concentrations stabilized cell viability after 72 hours, suggesting a protective effect. Conclusions: Royal jelly demonstrates a protective role against cisplatin-induced toxicity in normal breast cells, potentially preserving healthy tissue during chemotherapy. These findings, while promising for adjunctive therapies, require further validation in diverse cell lines and clinical settings to confirm generalizability.