Anti‐proliferative effects of carvacrol on human prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP

Abstract

Carvacrol, a monoterpene phenol, is known to be present in the volatile oils of Thymus vulgaris , Carum copticum and Origanum vulgare , and has been shown to have anti‐proliferative effects on various human cancer cell lines, such as breast cancer, hepatoma, leukemia, non‐small cell lung cancer, and cervical cancer. However, its effect on prostate cancer cells has not yet been determined. The objective of this research was to investigate the anti‐proliferative effects of carvacrol on an androgen‐sensitive, metastatic human prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP. In this study, cells were treated with increasing concentrations of carvacrol, ranging from 10 −7 M to 3×10 −3 M, and viability was determined after 48 and 96 hr using the XTT cell proliferation assay. Carvacrol inhibited cell viability in a dose‐dependent manner, and the resultant IC 50 values were found to be 135 μM and 11 μM, respectively. Data from phosphatidylserine externalization assays suggest that carvacrol causes induction of apoptosis in these cells. This is the first study that has identified the anti‐proliferative effects of carvacrol in prostate cancer cells, and results suggest that the compound may be valuable as a potential therapeutic agent for prostate cancer. This study is supported by the Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY.