Abstract
Garden cress herb (Lepidium sativum L.) extract has recently gained attention in research over the past years. Many of the published research articles discuss are its use in treating different types of cancer. Nanoparticles are a modern research tool that helps with targeting the drugs towards the cancerous cells while evading the healthy ones depending on properties that are present in cancer cells but not in normal ones. In this article, the authors examined the effect of garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) extract on breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) with and without being loaded onto nanoparticles. The viability of the cells was measured at the beginning, after treatment with the extract alone, and after treatment with the extract-loaded nanoparticles. Wound healing assay results showed better effect of the nanoparticles loaded with the extract. The entrapment efficiency of the nanoparticles was calculated based on electron microscopy results. Our team used the FACS assay to measure cell death by either apoptosis or necrosis. Detection of necrotic and apoptotic cell deathwas carried out by using Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) staining and analyzed using flow cytometry. Results showed increased induction of apoptosis in cells treated with nanoparticles loaded with Lepidium sativum L. extract versus cells treated with the extract alone.