Cycloastragenol suppresses the abnormal proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro

Breast cancer remains the most prevalent malignancy among women. This form of cancer contributes to approximately 16% of cancer related mortality worldwide. In this study, antiproliferative effect of cycloastragenol was investigated in MCF-7 mammary cancer cells. The cytotoxic efficacy of cycloastragenol was assessed using the MTT assay. Intracellular ROS levels, mitochondrial membrane potential and nuclear morphological alterations were examined to explore the apoptotic efficacy of cycloastragenol. Cycloastragenol induced DNA damage was evaluated through comet assay. Flow cytometry was used to study the cell cycle analysis. The present study noticed the IC50 concentration of cycloastragenol at 60 μg/mL in MCF-7 cells. Cycloastragenol treated MCF-7 cells showed elevated ROS accumulation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA fragmentation and cell-cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Present findings indicate that cycloastragenol exerted significant in vitro anticancer effects against MCF-7 cells