Objective: To investigate the effect of cell proliferation induced by beta-ionone.
Methods: Human mammary cancer cells (MCF-7) were treated with various beta-ionone concentrations (25, 50, 100 and 200 mumol/L), with a negative control. Methods such as curve of cell growth, cellular mitosis, the cell clone formatting and DNA synthesis were employed.
Results: beta-ionone inhibited the cell proliferation, cellular mitosis, the cell clone formatting and DNA synthesis. The inhibitory frequency (IF) showed a dose-dependent response as the concentrations of beta-ionone increased. Its IC50 value was 104 mumol/L for MCF-7 cells. The inhibitory frequency (IF) from cellular mitosis of MCF-7 treated by beta-ionone were - 12.88% - 68.67% at 24 h and 20.79% - 87.79% at 48 h, from the cell clone formatting of MCF-7 treated by beta-ionone, were - 14.11% - 65.18% at 24 h and 6.58% - 72.48% at 48 h, from DNA synthesis, 16.75% - 65.33% at 24 h and 35.10% - 81.89% at 48 h.
Conclusion: beta-ionone could inhibit the cell growth of MCF-7 cells and the mechanisms needs to be further studied.