Evaluation of Anticancer Activity of Some Venomous Animal Toxins on Human Breast and Colon Cancer Cell Lines

Abstract

Breast and colon cancers are the most types of cancer in Egyptian patients. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy have undesirable side effects, so the natural resources drugs are used instead. Venoms have been used as folk medicine since ancient times. For these reasons our attempt was carried out to introduce venoms as anticancer treatments. Purpose and aim: This study aimed to evaluate the anticancer potential of venoms derived from Egyptian snake (Naja haje), scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus) and bee (Apis mellifera) and compared to a synthetic anticancer drug 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU). Methods: The cytotoxicity activity of tested venoms was determined using SRB assay. Antioxidant potential was determined by the evaluation of the variation in Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and reduced glutathione (GSH) contents. Gene expression for P53, Bcl2 and BAX genes were evaluated using semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis post 24 h. treatment.