Casticin Inhibits In Vivo Growth of Xenograft Tumors of Human Oral Cancer SCC-4 Cells

Background/aim: Casticin, one of the active components of Vitex rotundifolia L., presents biological and pharmacological activities including inhibition of migration, invasion and induction of apoptosis in numerous human cancer cells in vitro. This study aimed to assess the effects of casticin on tumor growth in a human oral cancer SCC-4 cell xenograft mouse model in vivo.

Materials and methods: Twenty-four nude mice were injected subcutaneously with SCC-4 cells and when palpable tumors reached a volume of 100-120 mm³ the mice were randomly divided into three groups. The control (0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide), casticin (0.2 mg/kg), and casticin (0.4 mg/kg) groups were intraperitoneally injected every two days for 18 days. Tumor volume and body weights were measured every two days.

Results: Casticin significantly decreased tumor volume and weight in SCC-4 cell xenograft mice but there was no statistically significant difference between the body weights of control mice and mice treated with 0.2 mg/kg or 0.4 mg/kg casticin. Therefore, the growth of SCC-4 cells in athymic nude mice can be inhibited by casticin in vivo.

Conclusion: These findings support further investigations in the potential use of casticin as an oral anti-cancer drug in the future.

Keywords: Casticin; Human oral cancer SCC-4 cells; in vivo; xenograft mice.