β-eudesmol, a sesquiterpene from Teucrium ramosissimum, inhibits superoxide production, proliferation, adhesion and migration of human tumor cell

• We examined the effect of β-eudesmol on human tumor cell lines.
• Proliferation of tumor cells and superoxide production were inhibited by β-eudesmol.
• β-eudesmol inhibited adhesion and migration of A549 and HT29 cell.
• β-eudesmol may be a novel anticancer agent for the treatment of lung and colon cancer.

Reactive oxygen species are well-known mediators of various biological responses. Recently, new homologues of the catalytic subunit of NADPH oxidase have been discovered in non phagocytic cells. These new homologues (Nox1–Nox5) produce low levels of superoxides compared to the phagocytic homologue Nox2/gp91phox. In this study we examined the effect of β-eudesmol, a sesquiterpenoid alcohol isolated from Teucrium ramosissimum leaves, on proliferation, superoxide anion production, adhesion and migration of human lung (A549) and colon (HT29 and Caco-2) cancer cell lines. Proliferation of tumor cells was inhibited by β-eudesmol. It also significantly inhibited superoxide production in A549 cells. Furthermore, β-eudesmol inhibited adhesion and migration of A549 and HT29 cell. These results demonstrate that β-eudesmol may be a novel anticancer agent for the treatment of lung and colon cancer by different ways: by inhibition of superoxide production or by blocking proliferation, adhesion and migration.