• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2015

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the antitumor effects of Cheongpyesagan-tang(CST) and YKK012 on colon cancer. Methods : MTT assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of Single herbs and combinations of CST and YKK012 on murine colon cancer cells, Colon 38. To explain effects of apoptosis in colon cancer, we performed the western blot. Effects of CST and YKK012 on antitumor activity of CPT-11 using the murine colon38 allograft tumor in BDF1 mice. Results : Single herbs and combinations of CST and YKK012 was tested in vitro, Rhei Radix (RH) and Scutellariae Radix (SC) and YKK012 showed dose-response cytotoxicity on Colon 38. This might be due to the apoptosis, as we see Bax and Caspase-3, which are apoptotic factors, was expressed in RH and SC treated cells. YKK012 also showed increased expression of Caspase-3. In mouse colorectal cancer xenograft model of colon38 cells, herbal combinations showed tendencies of tumor regression, but was not significant. Furthermore, because toxicity was observed in CST group, we reduced the dose of CST for the next experiment. The anti-tumor effects of herbal combinations were insufficient to be used as single anti-tumor agent. With simultaneous usage of CPT-11, contrary to that CST showed no synergistic effects, YKK012 which was composed by the combination of four $ER{\beta}$ selective herbs, significantly reduced the size of tumor and Bax expression was increased. Conclusions : We suggest YKK012 can be a effective cancer adjuvant therapy with CPT-11 on colon cancer.