Cytotoxic effects of Cuscuta extract on human cancer cell lines

Cancer is a growing health problem around the world. Although there are different therapeutic methods for cancer such as lymphoma and melanoma cancers, none of them have possessed complete efficacy up to now. Therefore, discovery of novel anti-cancer drugs is important. In this study, the cytotoxic effect of Cuscuta extract, a traditional Iranian medicinal herb, on melanoma cell line (SK-MEL-3) and human Burkitt lymphoma (Raji) is evaluated. MTT assay was performed for cytotoxic effect of Cuscuta extract. The most cytotoxic effects of Cuscuta extract on SK-MEL-3 and Raji cell lines were 80 and 81%, respectively, compared to a control group. According to our data, Raji cells are more sensitive to Cuscuta than the SK-MEL-3 cells. Cuscuta extract seems to be a good candidate as an anti-cancer agent against lymphoma and melanoma cancers. To clarify the effective molecules and their mechanisms, further studies are undertaken in our laboratory on animal models and humans.