# COX2-Inhibitory and Cytotoxic Activities of Phytoconstituents of _Matricaria chamomilla_ L.
###### Abstract  
Chamomille tea is a popular beverage and herbal remedy with various health benefits, including antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and beneficial effects on metabolism. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory activities of secondary metabolites from _Matricaria chamomille_ L. against COX2, an enzyme involved in inflammation and linked to cancer development. The cytotoxicity of the compounds was also evaluated on a panel of 60 cancer cell lines. Myricetin, one of the COX2-inhibiting and cytotoxic compounds in chamomile tea, was further studied to determine a proteomic expression profile that predicts the sensitivity or resistance of tumor cell lines to this compound. The expression of classical mechanisms of anticancer drug resistance did not affect the responsiveness of cancer cells to myricetin, e.g., ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters (ABCB, ABCB5, ABCC1, ABCG2), tumor suppressors (p53, WT1), and oncogenes (EGFR, RAS), whereas significant correlations between myricetin responsiveness and GSTP expression and cellular proliferation rates were observed. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier survival time analyses revealed that high COX2 expression is associated with a worse survival prognosis in renal clear cell carcinoma patients, suggesting a potential utility for COX2 inhibition by myricetin in this tumor type. Overall, this study provides insight into the molecular modes of action of chamomile secondary metabolites and their potential as cancer-preventive or therapeutic agents.  
anti-inflammatory activity; beverages; cancer; chemoprevention; proteomics; tea +
Footnote †: journal: Medical  
contained more of these components than tea and essential oil [18]. Apigenin was one of the first compounds extracted from chamomile [19], which has been studied in the past for its anti-carcinogenic and anti-apoptotic effects [20; 21; 22]. The compounds inhibit cancer cell proliferation by blocking the activity of numerous proteins, including RelA/p65 and COX2 [23; 24].  
COX2 is an important enzyme that plays a key role in inflammation. It is involved in the production of prostaglandandins, which promote inflammation. Inflammation is a necessary process for the body's immune response against infection or injury, but if it becomes chronic, it can lead to a range of health problems, including cancer [25; 26; 27; 28].  
Our aim in this study was to investigate the molecular modes of action of secondary metabolites extracted from _M. chamomile_ in terms of their inhibitory activity against COX2 and their cytotoxicity towards a panel of 60 cell lines from the National Cancer Institute. Then, we focused on myricetin, one of the COX2-inhibiting and cytotoxic chemical constituents of chamomile tea, to determine a proteomic expression profile that predicts the sensitivity or resistance of tumor cell lines to this compound. Finally, we mined the KM Plotter database to identify tumor types where high COX2 expression is associated with a worse Kaplan-Meier survival prognosis in cancer patients in an endeavor to envision a clinical situation where COX2 inhibition by myricetin might exert preventive or therapeutic potential.