Antitumor effects of geraniol on oral cancer

Background: Geraniol has been shown to possess therapeutic or preventive effects against various types of human cancers but not affect normal physiology through regulating cell cycle and apoptosis. However, the biological effects of geraniol on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells are unknown. Methods: OSCC cell proliferation was measured by cell-counting kit-8 and colony formation assays. Cell migration was assessed by wound-healing assay. Apoptosis of OSCC cells was detected by TUNEL staining analysis. UM1 xenograft mouse model was used for determining the antitumor effects of geraniol in vivo. Results: Geraniol treatment significantly suppressed OSCC cell proliferation and migration in vitro, and tumor growth in vivo in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Further investigation showed that geraniol treatment effectively induced OSCC apoptosis and blocked Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling activation concurrently. We also found that geraniol administration at the dose of 100 and 250 mg/kg did not affect the body weight on tumor-bearing mice, demonstrating the safety of geraniol. Conclusion: Geraniol may serve as a promising anticancer drug for the treatment of oral cancer.