Antiproliferative Properties of Methanolic Extract of Nigella sativa against the MDA-MB-231 Cancer Cell Line

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women in the world and is one of the leading causes ofdeath due to cancer. Health benefits have been linked to additive and synergistic combinations of phytochemicalsin fruits and vegetables. Nigella sativa has been shown to possess anti-carcinogenic activity, inhibiting growthof several cancer cell lines in vitro. However, the molecular mechanisms of the anti-cancer properties of Nigellasativa phytochemical extracts have not been completely understood. Our data showed that Nigella sativa extractssignificantly inhibited human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation at doses of 2.5-5 μg/mL (P<0.05).Apoptotic induction in MDA-MB-231 cells was observed in a dose-dependent manner after exposure to Nigellasativa extracts for 48 h. Real time PCR and flow cytometry analyses suggested that Nigella sativa extracts possessthe ability to suppress the proliferation of human breast cancer cells through induction of apoptosis.