Investigating the Antioxidant and Anti-Proliferative Activity of Foeniculum vulgare Seed Essential Oil on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line and A2780 Ovarian Cancer Cell Line

 Due to the presence of high amounts of compounds with antioxidant and cytotoxic properties in Foeniculum vulgare mill seed essential oil, the aim of the present study was to determine and investigate the antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of fennel seed essential oil on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line and A2780 ovarian cancer cell line. 

 The present experimental study was conducted in 2018. First, Foeniculum vulgare mill seed essential oil was extracted by distillation in water and using a Clevenger. At that point, MCF-7 and A2780 cancer cells were cultured and propagated, and the cytotoxicity of the essential oil in concentrations of 10, 25, 50, 100, 125, 250 and 500 μg / ml for 24 and 48 hours based on colorimetric test (MTT). Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of the essential oil at concentrations of 1, 0.7, 0.5, 0.2 and 0.08 mg/ml was investigated using the free radical scavenging test (DPPH). Collected data were analyzed using the statistical test of two-way analysis of variance and using Graph Pad Prism statistical software. 

 The results of the present study indicated that Foeniculum vulgare mill seed essential oil significantly reduced the growth of MCF-7 and A2780 cancer cells compared to the control group in many concentrations used (especially high concentrations) within 24 and 48 hours. The toxicity of the essential oil was higher for MCF-7 cell line in all concentrations except 10 μg / ml within 24 hours, and in 48 hours, the essential oil was more toxic for MCF-7 cell line in all concentrations. The IC50 of the essential oil during 24 and 48 hours for MCF-7 was 94.3 and 61.7 μg/ml, respectively, while the essential oil had no IC50 for the A2780 cell line. It was as well found that fennel seed essential oil had antioxidant activity in all concentrations used in a concentration-dependent manner.

 The results of the present study indicated that Foeniculum vulgare essential oil in different concentrations can have significant anti-proliferative effects on MCF-7 breast cancer and A2780 ovarian cancer cell lines.