ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To examine the role of carvacrol in modulating PI3K/AKT signaling involved in human breast cancer pathogenesis using in vitro experimental model MCF-7 cells.@*METHODS@#MTT and lactate dehydrogenase assays were performed with cells treated with different doses of carvacrol (0-250 p mol/L) at different time points (24 and 48 h). The nuclear morphology was assessed in MCF-7 cells with propidium iodide (PI) and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining and analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. Events like cell cycle arrest, apoptosis was observed by flow cytometric analysis and expressions of p-Rb, cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), CDK6, Bax, Bcl-2, PI3K/p-AKT was analyzed by immunoblot.@*RESULTS@#Carvacrol significantly reduced cell viability with the half maximal inhibitory concentration value of 200 µmol/L at 24 and 48 h (P<0.05). importantly, there was a significant increase in the accumulation of the G@*CONCLUSION@#Carvacrol significantly inhibited the breast cancer MCF-7 cell proliferation and induced apoptosis via suppressing PI3/AKT signaling pathway.