Abstract

Background:
Breast cancer affects women at various ages, and its recurrence is a significant cause of death. The search for potent anticancer compounds of herbal origin with well-defined mechanisms of action is an essential focus of current research.

Aim:
This study aimed to investigate the effects of alkaloids in Achyranthes aspera Linn (AAL) leaf extract on necrosis, apoptosis, and related molecular markers, namely, cyclin-dependent kinase 1, Bcl-2 associated X-protein (Bax), rat sarcoma virus (Ras), cytochrome (Cyt) c, and apoptotic activating factor-1 (Apaf-1), in mice models.

Methods:
Thirty mice with breast cancer were randomly divided into five groups. The negative control group only being given distilled water daily. Mice in the positive control group (PCG) were administered methotrexate (15 mg/kg) daily. T1, T2, and T3 groups received AAL orally at 75, 100, and 125 mg/kg body weight daily for 30 days, respectively. On day 31, all mice were sacrificed for the preparation of histological specimens of the mammary glands. The negative control group showed the lowest number of apoptotic cells and Apaf-1, Cyt C, and Bax expressions, with the highest number of viable cancer cells and Ras expression.

Results:
The percentage of necrotic cells and breast cancer-expressed CDK-1 were not significantly (P > 0.05) different among groups. The percentages of apoptotic cells, Apaf-1, and Cyt c were highest in T3. Conversely, the percentage of viable cells and breast cancer-expressed Ras was lowest in T3.

Conclusion:
Treatment with 125 mg/kg AAL suppressed cancer cell growth in breast cancer-bearing mice. Further research is necessary to determine the complete signaling mechanism.

Key words: Herbal medicine, Cancer, Bax, Cyt c, Apaf-1