Cell proliferation, apoptosis and inflammation response of Melissa officinalis and Thymus vulgaris in SW480 colon cancer cells

•MO and TV caused a decrease in NF-κβ immunoreactivity in the SW480 colon cancer cell line.•It showed that MO and TV have effects on inflammation and signaling pathways that control cell cycle and apoptosis.•It also induced damage in cancer cells with an increased number of TUNEL positive cells and higher TNF-α and IL-6 immunoreactivity.