Ethyl acetate extract of Chinese medicinal herb Sarcandra glabra induces growth inhibition on human leukemic HL-60 cells, associated with cell cycle arrest and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax/Bcl-2 ratio.

Abstract

Sarcandra glabra (Thunb.) Nakai, colloquially known as Caoshanhu, is a Chinese medicinal herb with reported anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and non-specific immunoenhancing properties. Although the plant has been clinically used for treating a variety of diseases, its bioactive ingredients are largely unknown and its mode of action has never been investigated. In this study, the anti-tumor property of ethyl acetate (EA) extract of S. glabra was investigated by determining its in vitro growth-inhibitory effects on a panel of human cancer cell lines of different histotypes. Growth inhibition of the EA extract on the cancer cells seemed to be selective, and the leukemic HL-60 was found to be the most responsive after 48 h of treatment (IC50=58 microg/ml). Flow cytometric studies further illustrated that the extract might interfere with DNA replication and thus arrested the cell cycle at S phase in the leukemic cells, followed by DNA fragmentation and loss of phospholipid asymmetry in the plasma membrane after 72 h of treatment. Concurrently, the pro-apoptotic Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was also up-regulated by more than 178% of the control level. All these findings suggested that the extract had initiated apoptosis to kill the leukemic cells. Results from this pioneer study help to establish a scientific foundation for future research and development of the bioactive ingredients in EA extract of S. glabra as efficacious anti-cancer agents.

• Authors: W Y Li, Lawrence C M Chiu, W S Lam, W Y Wong, Y T Chan, Y P Ho, Elaine Y L Wong, Y S Wong, Vincent E C Ooi
• Journal: Oncology reports (Oncol Rep) Vol. 17 Issue 2 Pg. 425-31 (Feb 2007) ISSN: 1021-335X [Print] Greece
• PMID: 17203183 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Acetates
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Cadherins
• Plant Extracts
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2
• bcl-2-Associated X Protein
• ethyl acetate

Topics

• Acetates (pharmacology)
• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology)
• Apoptosis
• Cadherins (metabolism)
• Cell Cycle
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
• HL-60 Cells
• Humans
• Magnoliopsida (metabolism)
• Neoplasm Metastasis
• Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Plant Extracts (pharmacology)
• Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 (metabolism)
• Time Factors
• Up-Regulation
• bcl-2-Associated X Protein (metabolism)