Considering the high metastatic potential of
colorectal cancer (CRC), the inhibition of
metastasis is important for anti-CRC
therapy. Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb (A. pilosa) is a perennial herbaceous plant that is widely distributed in Asia. The extracts of A. pilosa have shown diverse pharmacological properties, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities. In the present study, the antimetastatic activity of A. pilosa was evaluated.
Methanol extraction from the roots of A. pilosa was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and 12 fractions were obtained. Among these, fraction 4 showed the most potent inhibitory effect on the migration of
colon cancer cells. Using LC-HR MS analysis,
quercetin and
quercitrin were identified as
flavonoids contained in fraction 4. Like fraction 4,
quercetin and
quercitrin effectively inhibited the migration and invasion of RKO cells. While the level of
E-cadherin was increased, the levels of
N-cadherin and
vimentin were decreased by the same agents. Although they all activate the p38, JNK, and ERK signaling pathways, only
SP600125, an inhibitor of the JNK pathway, specifically inhibited the effect of fraction 4,
quercetin, and
quercitrin on cell migration. An in vivo experiment also confirmed the antitumor activity of
quercetin and
quercitrin. Collectively, these results suggest that A. pilosa and its two
flavonoids,
quercetin and
quercitrin, are candidates for the antimetastatic treatment of CRC.