Anticancer effects of rosmarinic acid in human oral cancer cells is mediated via endoplasmic reticulum stress, apoptosis, G2/M cell cycle arrest and inhibition of cell migration

Purpose: This investigation was undertaken to infer the anticancer effects of rosmarinic acid against human oral cancer cells.

Methods: Normal hTRET-OME oral cell line and oral cancer cell line SCC-15 were used in the present study. CDK-8 was used to determine the proliferation of cancer cells. Apoptosis of cancer cells was assessed by DAPI staining method. Flow cytometric procedure was employed to study the cancer cell cycle phase distribution. The migratory potential of cancer cells was estimated by transwell assay.

Results: Rosmarinic acid inhibited the proliferation of oral cancer cells and the level of inhibition was dose-dependent. The antiproliferative role of rosmarinic acid was exerted through apoptotis induction and arrest of cell cycle at G2/M phase in oral cancer cells. Treatment of rosmarinic acid also resulted in endoplasmic reticulum stress and affected negatively the migratory potential of cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner.

Conclusion: The results of this study revealed the anticancer potential of rosmarinic acid against the oral cancer cell growth and propagation. The study envisages the importance of natural compounds for their usage against human cancers.