Cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of cafestol and kahweol on breast cancer cell line (MCF-7)

The difficulties encountered in the treatment of cancer, which is an increasingly widespread disease in recent years, have led us to alternative approaches. Today, the use of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and surgical therapy in the treatment of cancer, as well as supportive therapy with natural anticarcinogenic substances, is a controversial issue. As the metabolism of cancer cells is clarified, it has been shown that different antioxidant, antilipid and anticarbohydrate molecules are effective in the development, formation and spread of cancer cells. Diterpenes are naturally occurring compounds containing four isoprene rings commonly found in plants. Cafestol and kahweol in coffee beans are also natural diterpenes. The aim of our study is to highlight the anticancer properties of cafestol and coffeeol, which are mostly known for their antioxidant and antilipid properties. In our study, after applying these diterpenes at different doses to the breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), we observed that cafestol and kahweol showed cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on breast cancer cells. According to our findings; the IC50 value of kahweol on MCF-7 cells in 24 hours was found to be 28.117 µM, and the IC50 value of kahweol on MCF-7 cells in 24 hours was found to be 164.791 µM. As a result of the analysis, the viability rate in cells added to kahweol was 45.49%, and 71.7% in those added to kahweol, while this rate was found to be 98.88% in the control group. When we look at the apoptosis rates, it was found to be 50.19% in the kahweol group, 26.46% in the kahweol group, and 0.03% in the control group. The findings are statistically significant. (p< 0.05)