Anti-proliferative Effects of Common Plant Extracts on Tumor Cells in Vitro

In 2018, the World Health Organization identified cancer as responsible for 1 in 6 deaths globally, encouraging the exploration of creative forms of cancer treatment. Our research interests include identifying anti-proliferative plant extracts and illuminating mechanisms of growth inhibition. In this study we measured the effects of Vitis vinifera (grapeseed), Juniperus communis (juniper berry), and Curcuma longa (turmeric) extracts on the proliferation of several normal and tumorigenic cell strains and lines (HFF-S2, HeLa, HepG2, MDA MB 231, and RAW 264.7). We performed dose response CyQUANT assays to analyze the effects on cell growth. We are using DNA analysis, recovery experiments, and DAPI staining to investigate whether our extracts induce apoptosis in these cells. Our results showed dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth in vitro with all three extracts but not with extracts from other plants. The results of this study suggest the potential for further study of components of grapeseed, juniper berry, and turmeric extracts as potential chemo preventive agents