Objective: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a systemic disease characterized by pathological plasma cells that cause the gathering of carcinogenic cells in the bone marrow. Despite the development of new drugs and the use of herbal preparations as treatment support, MM remains untreatable. In this study, the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of extracts of species of Vinca, Vinca herbacea Waldst. and Kit and Vinca soneri Koyuncu, on MM cell lines were investigated.

Materials and Methods: The WST-1 test was used to determine the antiproliferative effects at different doses and time intervals of the applied extracts on MM cells and real-time polymerase chain reaction, caspase enzyme activity, and flow cytometry techniques were used to reveal the apoptotic effects.

Results: As a general finding, it can be assumed that Vinca extracts may be a potential treatment for MM. The result of the WST-1 test revealed that Vinca extracts, especially that of V. herbacea, had time- and dose-dependent cytotoxic effects on MM cells. Moreover, an increase in proapoptotic gene expressions, such as BAX, BIK, p53, and casp3, and an increase in caspase 3 enzyme activity indicated that the extracts resulted in apoptosis of MM cells.

Conclusions: As a basic contribution, it was determined that extracts from species of Vinca have cytotoxic, apoptotic, and invasion inhibitory effects on MM cells.