Antineoplastic Activity of Methyl rosmarinate in Glioblastoma Cells

  • Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2025 Mar 10;47(3):180. doi: 10.3390/cimb47030180.
Maria Vasiliki Benekou  1 ,  Panagiota Tzitiridou  1 ,  Theodora Papagrigoriou  2 ,  Vasiliki Galani  3 ,  Chrissa Sioka  1 ,  Athanassios P Kyritsis  1 ,  Diamanto Lazari  2 ,  George A Alexiou  1  4
Affiliations
  • 1. Neurosurgical Institute, University of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece.
  • 2. Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
  • 3. Department of Anatomy Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece.
  • 4. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Ioannina, 45500 Ioannina, Greece.
PMID: 40136434 DOI: 10.3390/cimb47030180
Abstract

Glioblastoma (GMB) is a remarkably aggressive brain malignancy characterized by high mortality rates, despite continuous advances in therapeutic approaches. Compounds derived from Plants are being studied for their potent medicinal properties in the quest for more efficient therapies. This study investigated the anti-glioma properties of Methyl rosmarinate, a hydroxycinnamic acid isolated from Thymus thracicus Velen, which has previously demonstrated anti-cancer activity in various cell lines. Human glioblastoma cell lines U87 and T98 were treated with Methyl rosmarinate to assess its effect on cell viability, cell cycle distribution and migratory capacity using Trypan blue assay, flow cytometry and scratch wound healing assay, respectively. The combinatorial effects of Methyl rosmarinate and temozolomide were also analyzed with CompoSyn software. According to the outcomes, Methyl rosmarinate significantly reduced cell viability, induced cell death by interfering in cell cycle checkpoints, and inhibited migration in both GMB cell lines. Notably, in U87 cells, the compound showed a synergistic impact with temozolomide, whereas in T98 cells, there was an antagonistic relationship. These results suggest that Methyl rosmarinate has potential anti-glioma properties; however, more in vivo research is needed.

Keywords
Methyl rosmarinate; Thymus thracicus; cancer; glioblastoma; glioma; organic compounds.
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