Marrubiin Inhibits Cell Growth and Activating Apoptosis via Expression of Inflammatory Markers in Oral Squamous Carcinoma KB Cells

Background Oral cancer is a major type of head and neck cancer that mostly affects the lips, tongue, buccal mucosa, and salivary glands. It is a malignant tumor affecting the oral cavity with an annual incidence of over half a million new cases. Purpose The major aim of the current work is to evaluate the anti-cancer potential of marrubiin against oral cancer KB cells. Materials and Methods The effect of marrubiin (2.5–160 µg/mL) on KB cell growth was assessed by the MTT assay. The mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and apoptosis in the marrubiin-treated and control cells were studied using respective fluorescent staining assays. The angiogenic marker vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were studied using the assay kits. Results The MTT assay results prove that the marrubiin treatment effectively decreased KB cell growth dose-dependently. The treatment of marrubiin at an inhibitory concentration (IC 50 33.15 µg/mL) effectively induced apoptosis and reduced MMP levels in the KB cells. The VEGF, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were effectively reduced in the KB cells after treatment with the IC 50 concentration of marrubiin. Conclusion The present results demonstrate that marrubiin inhibits cell viability and promotes apoptosis in KB cells via decreasing VEGF and inflammatory cytokine levels. Thus, it holds potential as a promising anti-cancer agent for treating oral cancer.