Tualang Honey Promotes Apoptotic Cell Death Induced by Tamoxifen
in Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Tualang honey (TH) is rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids
and has significant anticancer activity against breast cancer cells comparable
to the effect of tamoxifen (TAM), in vitro.
The current study evaluated the effects of TH when used in
combination with TAM on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. We observed that TH
promoted the anticancer activity of TAM in both the estrogen
receptor-(ER-)responsive and ER-nonresponsive human breast cancer cell lines.
Flow cytometric analyses indicated accelerated apoptosis especially in
MDA-MB-231 cells and with the involvement of caspase-3/7, -8 and -9 activation
as shown by fluorescence microscopy. Depolarization of the mitochondrial
membrane was also increased in both cell lines when TH was used in combination
with TAM compared to TAM treatment alone.
TH may therefore be a potential adjuvant to be used with TAM
for reducing the dose of TAM, hence, reducing TAM-induced adverse effects.