Anti-Angiogenic Activity of Ficus carica Latex Extract on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is a key process in cancer development and metastasis. in this study, the anti-angiogenic and antiproliferative potentials of ficus carica latex extract have been investigated using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (huvecs). different doses of latex extract were prepared and added to a three-dimensional culture of huvec in a collagen matrix. after 3-5 days of treatment, the anti-angiogenic effects of the extracts were monitored microscopically. for the anti-proliferation assay, different doses of the extracts were examined on huvecs. the results clearly indicated that latex extract could inhibit proliferation and capillary tube formation of huvecs in a dose-dependent manner at the range of 100-400 μg/ml. in addition, the extract was not cytotoxic up to 450 μg/ml as assessed by trypan blue and lactate dehydrogenase (ldh) cytotoxicity assays. it is concluded that latex extracts of f. carica contain strong anti-angiogenic and anti-proliferative activities. our data indicates that latex extract could be a candidate as a potential agent for the prevention of angiogenesis in cancer and other chronic disorders.