In vivo and In vitro effects of ethanolic extract of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. seeds on proliferation, angiogenesis and tube formation of endothelial cells

• Published in: Research in pharmaceutical sciences Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 343 - 352
• Main Authors: Iranmanesh, Mozhdeh, Mohebbati, Reza, Forouzanfar, Fatemeh, Roshan, Mostafa, Ghorbani, Ahmad, Nik, Mohammad, Soukhtanloo, Mohammad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Iran Wolters Kluwer - Medknow Publications 01.08.2018; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Analysis; angiogenesis; cancer; chorioallantoic membrane; human umbilical vein endothelial cells; thalidomide; trigonella foenum-graecum; Bromine compounds; Cancer metastasis; Cancer treatment; Endothelium; Original; Planning; Seeds; Tumors; Vincristine; Angiogenesis; Human umbilical vein endothelial cells; Trigonella foenum-graecum; Chorioallantoic membrane; Thalidomide; Cancer
• ISSN: 1735-5362; 1735-9414
• DOI: 10.4103/1735-5362.235161

The role of angiogenesis in tumor progression and metastasis formation has been well recognized. Recent studies have reported that Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (fenugreek) seed extracts have potential anticancer properties. The current study was planned to investigate the anti-angiogenic activity of hydroalcoholic extract of fenugreek (HAEF) in vitro and in vivo. Effect of HAEF (50-3000 µg/mL) and thalidomide (200-3000 µmol/L), as a positive control, on the viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and 3T3 fibroblast cells was assessed by thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Effect of HAEF on vessel-like tube formation by HUVECs was examined in the matrigel-based assay. Furthermore, the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) was used as in vivo model to study the anti-angiogenic effect of HAEF. HAEF, similar to thalidomide, significantly inhibited the viability of HUVECs and 3T3 cells dose-dependently after 24 h. Moreover, both HAEF and thalidomide significantly reduced tube formation by HUVECs in cell culture condition. In CAM model, HAEF and thalidomide caused a significant decline in the number of neovascular points and in the amount of grades 1 and 2 vessels. These findings revealed that fenugreek has cytotoxic and anti-angiogenic effects in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, this medicinal plant can be subjected to further investigations as antitumor agents.