RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, and medicinal plants can prevent and play an inhibitory role for cancer. This study aims to evaluate the anticancer effect of colchicum autumnale L. Corm on breast cancer cell models. METHODS: In this study, the alkaloid-rich extract was prepared using the percolation method and with methanol/water solvent (70:30). HFF2 normal cell line and MCF-7 breast cancer cell line were cultured in microplates (96 wells). Then cells were treated with concentrations of 62.5 to 2000 ng/ml of extract and concentrations of 62 to 1000 ng/ml of doxorubicin at regular intervals of 48 and 72 h, and the percentage of cell growth inhibition was calculated. Cytotoxicity of drugs was measured by the MTT assay method. IC50 values were calculated by Calcusyn software. Also, the P-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Alkaloid-rich extract of Colchicum autumnale plant inhibited breast cancer cell growth (MCF-7). The IC50 parameter showed more cytotoxic effects of Colchicum autumnale plant extract on the MCF-7 cancer cell line than HFF2 normal cell line for 48 and 72 h. In addition, with higher concentrations of the extract, cytotoxicity, and growth inhibitory effect increased significantly and in comparison to the doxorubicin was almost the same as cytotoxic. CONCLUSION: This research provides a novel view into the development of new drugs for the treatment of cancer diseases. Colchicum autumnale plant extract had a significant cytotoxic effect like Doxorubicin drug on breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), which can alternatively treat and prevent breast cancer.