The role of Algerian ethanolic extract in inhibiting the growth of breast cancer cells by inducing apoptosis in a p53- dependent pathway.

Background: , a member of the Ephedraceae family, was used to treat different diseases and it might be shown a strong efficacy to inhibit cancer cell lines.

Methods: Due to the limited research available about this plant, the objective of this research was to evaluate the antioxidant, cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of ethanolic extract (EAEE), against different human cancer cell lines.

Results: EAEE inhibited the growth of the liver (HepG2), breast (MCF-7), and colon cancer cells (Caco-2).

Detection of new point mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in breast cancer patients.

This study included 20 selected female patients with breast cancer, 30 of their female relatives (sisters and daughters), and 10 healthy females as a control group. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes of all the subjects, and the polymerase chain reaction was carried out using specific primers for BRCA1 (exons 2 and 8) and BRCA2 (exons 9, 11, and 21). The mutations were detected using a single-strand conformation polymorphism assay and heteroduplex analysis.