Trillium tschonoskii steroidal saponins suppress the growth of colorectal Cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Abstract

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:

Saponins of many herbs are known to possess anti-cancer effect.

AIM OF THE STUDY:

The present study aimed to investigate the growth inhibitory effect of Trillium tschonoskii steroidal saponins in a mouse model of colitis-associated colorectal cancer and a human colorectal cancer cell line HT-29, and isolate some major constituents and evaluate their anti-tumor activity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Forty male ICR mice were administered with 1, 2-dimethyl-hydrazine (DMH) and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Ten mice were given no further treatment, the rest were administered with different doses of TTS (5, 10, 20mg/kg) orally, every three days from the 9th week to the 20th week.

RESULTS:

TTS effectively protected ICR mice against DMH/DSS-induced tumorigenesis. The incidence of tumor development was 90% (9/10) in the mice treated with DMH/DSS, but that was reduced to 50% (5/10), 40% (4/10), and 20% (2/10), respectively, in the mice treated with 5%, 10%, and 20% of TTS. Results of Ki-67 staining, TUNEL assay and caspase-3 activity assay revealed that TTS moderately decreased abnormal proliferation and increased apoptosis of colonic epithelial cells. It inhibited the growth and triggered the apoptosis of HT-29 cells, partly through suppressing mitogen-actived protein kinases (MAPKs) and triggering mitochondrial-mediated apoptotic pathway. Three compounds, namely, Paris saponin VII, polyphylloside III and Paris saponin VI, were important active compounds in TTS.

CONCLUSION:

These data suggest that TTS has a potential role in clinical prevention and treatment for colorectal cancer.

• Authors: Yuhua Li, Changxu Liu, Dan Xiao, Jing Han, Zhenggang Yue, Yang Sun, Lei Fan, Feng Zhang, Jin Meng, Rong Zhang, Zhipeng Wang, Qibing Mei, Aidong Wen
• Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology (J Ethnopharmacol) Vol. 168 Pg. 136-45 (Jun 20 2015) ISSN: 1872-7573 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 25849732 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
• Saponins
• Dextran Sulfate
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
• Casp3 protein, mouse
• Caspase 3
• 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine

Topics

• 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine
• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Apoptosis (drug effects)
• Caspase 3 (metabolism)
• Cell Proliferation (drug effects)
• Colitis (chemically induced, complications, metabolism)
• Colorectal Neoplasms (drug therapy, etiology, metabolism)
• Dextran Sulfate
• HT29 Cells
• Humans
• Male
• Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial (drug effects)
• Mice, Inbred ICR
• Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (metabolism)
• Saponins (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Trillium