Grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs), a biologically active component of grape seeds, have been reported to possess a wide array of pharmacological and biochemical properties. Recently, the inhibitory effects of GSPs on various
cancers have been reported, but their effects on
cervical cancer remain unclear. Here, we explored the effect of GSPs on
cervical cancer using in vitro and in vivo models. In vitro, the treatment of HeLa and SiHa cells with GSPs resulted in a significant inhibition of cell viability. Further investigation indicated that GSPs led to the dose-dependent induction of apoptosis in
cancer cells. The underlying mechanism was associated with increased expression of the
pro-apoptotic protein Bak-1, decreased expression of the
anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and the activation of
caspase-3, suggesting that GSPs induced
cervical cancer cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway. In addition, the administration of GSPs (0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.4%, w/v) as a supplement in
drinking water significantly inhibited the
tumor growth of HeLa and SiHa cells in athymic nude mice, and the number of apoptotic cells in those
tumors was also increased significantly. Taken together, our studies demonstrated that GSPs could inhibit the growth of
cervical cancer by inducing apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway, which provides evidence indicating that GSPs may be a potential chemopreventive and/or chemotherapeutic agent for
cervical cancer.