• The Evaluation and Comparing of Cytotoxic Effects of Different Fractions of Artemisia ciniformis and Artemisia biennis on B16/F10, PC3 and MCF7 Cell Lines
  • Elham ramazani,1,* Zahra Tayarani-Najaran,2 Yalda Shokoohinia ,3
    1. 1 Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Kosar University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran. 2 Medical Toxicology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
    2. Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
    3. Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. 5 Ric Scalzo Botanical Research Institute, Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine, Tempe, AZ, USA


  • Introduction: Artemisia is one of the well-known herbal medicinal plants for antimicrobial, insecticidal, antioxidant and antimalarial activities. Due to prevalence of the three most known types of cancer (Melanoma, prostate cancer (PCa) and breast cancer (BCa)) and the severe side effects of anti-cancer drugs, in the current study, cytotoxic effects of some fractionation of DCM extracts of A. biennis (F1 to F16), and PE extracts of A. ciniformis (F1” to F10”) were evaluated on three human cancer cell lines; B16/F10, PC3 and MCF7.
  • Methods: The cytotoxic effects of 16 (F1-F16), and 10 (F1”-F10”) fractions, on B16/F10, PC3 and MCF7 cell lines were assessed using resazurin to measure viability and PI staining (sub G1) and flow cytometry to detect apoptosis.
  • Results: The results showed that, some fractions (100 µg/ml) decreased cell viability. F2” in B16/F10 cells, F2, F4- F6, and F2” in PC3 cells, and F2” in MCF7 significantly decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner (12.5-50 μg/ml). Among different fractions, F2” demonstrated the most potent cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines. All of mentioned fractions increased the number of apoptotic cells and showed the cytotoxic effects on cancer cells compared with the control group.
  • Conclusion: Generally, based on the cytotoxic potential of A. biennis and A. ciniformis also elevated cancer treatment costs and side effects of these treatments, A. biennis and A. ciniformis are suggested as the potential sources of cytotoxic phytochemicals.
  • Keywords: Artemisia ciniformis, Artemisia biennis, Cytotoxic, anti-proliferative, resazurin.