The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect and therapeutic potential of
baicalin in
breast cancer.
Baicalin is used to treat inflammatory diseases. The effects of
baicalin were assessed in
breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB‑231 cells, and human
breast cancer xenograft mice. Cells were treated with 0, 20 or 30 µM
baicalin for 48 h, while xenograft mice were treated with
intraperitoneal injection of 0, 100 or 200 mg/kg
baicalin for 30 days. The results demonstrated that treatment with
baicalin dose-dependently suppressed
breast cancer cell invasion, migration and proliferation, and also induced G1/S-phase cell cycle arrest in vitro and in vivo.
Baicalin alleviated
inflammation injury and inhibited the secretion of
tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β, thus suppressing nuclear factor (NF)-ĸB-p65 activation via inhibition of IĸB
kinase. Investigation of the mechanism underlying
baicalin activity indicated that it inhibited
protein expression of NF-ĸB-p65, leading to NF-ĸB‑induced increased expression of CCND1, BCL2, BIRC2 and BIRC3, thus inhibiting cell proliferation, invasion and migration and suppressing anti-apoptotic factors in vitro and in vivo. In addition,
baicalin did not affect non-tumorigenic normal breast epithelial cells. These results indicate that
baicalin may exert
therapeutic effects in
breast cancer.