FENUGREEK (TRIGONELLA FOENUM-GRAECUM L.) EXTRACTS ARE INDUCING DOSE-DEPENDENT HORMETIC RESPONSE AND CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS IN CASE OF HUMAN BREAST CANCER CELL LINES

The effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seeds have been studied on the T-47D and ZR-75-1 human breast cancer cell lines. The aqueous fenugreek extract was cytotoxic at higher concentrations, while at lower concentrations increased cell viability, suggesting the induction of a dose dependent hormetic response in case of both cell lines. The alcoholic fenugreek extract was markedly cytotoxic to both breast cancer cell types, and multiple cell division defects together with apoptosis were apparent in the affected cells. The viability of breast cancerous cells was examined time dependently with the MTT proliferation assay. Both types of the extracts showed significant differences in all treatments (P