Inhibitory effects of Cyrtopodion scabrum extract on growth of human breast and colorectal cancer cells.

Breast and colorectal cancers rank high in Iran as causes of mortality. Most of the current treatments are expensive and non-specific. The potential anticancer properties of common home gecko, Cyrtopodion scabrum, were investigated in this study. The effects of C. scabrum extract on proliferation, viability and migration of the colorectal cancer (SW-742), breast cancer (MCF-7) and normal (MSC) cell lines were investigated using MTT and in vitro wound healing assay. IC50 values calculated for the extract were 559±28.9 μg/ml for MCF-7 and 339±11.3 μg/ml for SW-742. No toxic effects on the normal control cells were observed. MCF-7 and SW-742 cell growth was inhibited by 32.6% and 62%, under optimum conditions, compared to the untreated control cells. The extract also decreased the motility and migration ability of both cancer cell lines, with no significant effects on the normal control cells. Data suggest C. scabrum extract as a useful natural resource for targeting cancer cells specifically.