Protective Effects of Trigonella foenum graecum L. Extract Against Cytotoxicity Induced by Cyclophosphamide on Ovarian Cancer (SKOV3) and Normal Cell Lines

Background and Today, medicinal plants are of great importance in treatment of different cancers. Trigonella foenum graecum L. (fenugreek) is a herbaceous plant with phenolic compounds that has received attention in cytotoxicity studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of Trigonella foenum graecum L. (TFG) against cytotoxicity induced by cyclophosphamide on ovarian cancer (SKOV3) and normal cell lines.
We conducted an experimental study in which TFG aqueous extract was prepared by percolation method. Ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3) and normal cell lines (rats) were treated with cyclophosphamide and TFG aqueous extract in different concentrations (1, 10, 50, 100, 200 μg/ml) for 72 hr. Cells viability were then evaluated using MTT assay. Data analysis was done applying ANOVA.
In this study, inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the extract and cyclophosphamide on SKOV3 and normal cell lines were determined 5.992±0.013 and 30.66±0.032 μg/ml, respectively. The IC50 values in cell lines treated with cyclophosphamide alone were 1.839±0.003 and 7.332±0.011 μg/ml, respectively.
Compared with cyclophosphamide alone, the IC50 values from TFG aqueous extract and cyclophosphamide on SKOV3 and normal cell lines were increased which could be due to high antioxidant activity caused by bioactive components such as flavonoids and alkaloids of the TFG aqueous extract.