Background: 2'-Hydroxycinnamaldehyde (HCA) exerts antitumor activity against several human cancer cell lines. However, its antitumor activity in oral cancer has not been demonstrated.
Materials and methods: The antitumor activity of HCA was assessed in oral cancer cell lines and in a rat oral tumor model.
Results: Cell cycle analysis confirmed that HCA showed anti-proliferative activity via cell cycle arrest at the G(2)/M-phase and increased the number of cells in the sub-G(1) (apoptotic cells) phase in SCC-15 and HEp-2 oral cancer cells. Additionally, direct injection of HCA into an RK3E-ras-Fluc-induced tumor significantly inhibited growth of the tumor mass. Histological analysis showed that HCA decreased tumor cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in a rat tumor model.
Conclusion: Taken together, these observations suggest the potential value of HCA as a candidate for the treatment of oral cancer.