Effect of matrine against breast cancer by downregulating the vascular endothelial growth factor via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of matrine on breast cancer and its underlying mechanism. Matrine is a major component of Sophora flavescens, exhibited antitumor activity in a number of neoplasms, including breast cancer. The present study revealed that matrine inhibited cell viability and induced apoptosis in 4T1 and MCF-7 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner in vitro. In addition, matrine suppressed the 4T1-tumor growth, induced apoptosis, inhibited the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and downregulated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in vivo. All these findings indicated that matrine may be a novel effective candidate for the treatment of breast cancer.