• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.4615-4619
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• 2013

Background: Artesunate, extracted from Artemisia annua, has been proven to have anti-cancer potential. Allicin, diallyl thiosulfinate, the main biologically active compound derived from garlic, is also of interest in cancer treatment research. This object of this report was to document synergistic effects of artesunate combined with allicin on osteosarcoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Methods: After treatment with artesunate and allicin at various concentrations, the viability of osteosarcoma cells was analyzed by MTT method, with assessment of invasion and motility, colony formation and apoptosis. Western Blotting was performed to determine the expression of caspase-3/9, and activity was also detected after drug treatment. Moreover, in a nude mouse model established with orthotopic xenograft tumors, tumor weight and volume were monitored after drug administration via the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. Results: The viability of osteosarcoma cells in the combination group was significantly decreased in a concentration and time dependent manner; moreover, invasion, motility and colony formation ability were significantly suppressed and the apoptotic rate was significantly increased through caspase-3/9 expression and activity enhancement in the combination group. Furthermore, suppression of tumor growth was evident in vivo. Conclusion: Our results indicated that artesunate and allicin in combination exert synergistic effects on osteosarcoma cell proliferation and apoptosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2014

This study was performed to determine the anticancer effects of cultivated Orostachys japonicus (COJ) and wild Orostachys japonicus (WOJ) on primary human prostate cancer cells (RC-58T/h/SA#4 cells). The morphology of cells treated with COJ and WOJ was distorted to shrunken cell masses. In addition, cell death induced by COJ and WOJ was associated with increased population of cells in sub-G1 phase as well as the formation of apoptotic bodies and nuclear condensation. COD and WOJ markedly reduced the number of viable prostate cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner, and cell numbers were lower than control cells. COJ and WOJ also inhibited increases in cell proliferation induced by environmental hormones such as dioxin and bisphenol A in charcoal-treated FBS (cFBS) medium. COJ and WOJ methanol extracts at the tested concentrations (150, 300, and 600 ${\mu}g/mL$) also dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation induced by environmental hormones. These results indicate that COJ and WOJ exert anticancer effects on primary human prostate cancer cells.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 2019

The anticancer activity of guava (Psidium guajava L.) leaf extract (GLE) occurs via the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. However, the mechanism behind GLE-induced apoptosis in the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the apoptotic effects and mechanism of action of GLE in cultured HepG2 cells. The results showed that GLE induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) synthesis and disrupted the mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta}{\Psi}m$). Moreover, GLE increased the expression of apoptotic pathway proteins, such as the cleaved forms of caspase-3, -8, and -9; the translocation of Bax and cytochrome c (cyt-c) from the mitochondria to the cytosol; and the downregulation of Bcl-2. In addition, p53 protein expression was increased upon GLE treatment. These observations indicate that the GLE-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells is mediated by mitochondrial ROS generation, followed by caspase activation and cyt-c release, suggesting that GLE may be a promising candidate for the development of novel drugs for the treatment of liver cancers.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.324-333
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• 2015

Lepisorus thunbergianus (Kaulf.) Ching has been used in folk medicine in Korea. In this study, a L. thunbergianus methanol extract and its fractions were investigated for their antioxidant properties. The results showed that the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions of L. thunbergianus possess potent DPPH radical scavenging activities. Both fractions also possessed reducing power and inhibited reactive oxygen species formation. In addition, the cytotoxic activity of the L. thunbergianus n-hexane fraction (HF) was investigated. The results suggested that the HF remarkably suppressed proliferation of human breast, liver and colon cancer cells. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that L. thunbergianus extract induces apoptosis in SW620 cells, suggesting that L. thunbergianus may have potential as a therapeutic agent for colon cancer.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.334-341
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• 2004

Polysaccharides were prepared from Orostachys japonicus by extration with hot steam water (OJPl). The OIPl fraction was further purified by Sephadex G-50 gel filtration chromatography to produce FI (polysaccharides) and FII (oligosaccharides) fraction. The average molecular masses o fFI and FII fraction were determined to be 3050 kDa and 13 kDa, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of OIPl was tested against 8 strains of bacteria and one strain of yeast by the disc diffusion method, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) method and broth dilution method. The OIPl exhibited a very strong growth inhibition to Candida albicans. The OIPl remarkably sup­pressed the growth of Salmonella typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus. The OIPl showed higher growth inhibition to Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa than propolis, positive control. When the anticancer activity of the OIPl, FI or FII was examined against human cancer cell lines and the Sarcoma 180 cells, these widely suppressed the proliferation of cell lines in the MTT assay and morphology study. Especially, they remarkably inhibited the growth of A549, HeLa and AGS cells. Also treatment of cancer cells with OJPl, FI or FII induced apoptotic cell death characterized by DNA fragmentation. The OJPl, FI or FII exhibiting various biological activities such as antimicrobial activity and anticancer activity is expected to be developed as new biohealth products.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.18
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• pp.7919-7923
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• 2014

20(S)-Protopanaxadiol (PPD), a ginsenoside isolated from Pananx quinquefolium L., has been shown to inhibit growth and proliferation in several cancer cell lines. The aim of this study was to evaluate its anticancer activity in human breast cancer cells. MCF-7 cells were incubated with different concentrations of 20(S)-PPD and cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay. Occurrence of apoptosis was detected by DAPI and Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. Mitochondrial membrane potential was measured with Rhodamine 123. The Bcl-2 and Bax expression were determined by Western blot analysis. Caspase activity was measured by colorimetric assay. 20(S)-PPD dose-dependently inhibited cell proliferation in MCF-7 cells, with an $IC_{50}$ value of $33.3{\mu}M$ at 24h. MCF-7 cells treated with 20(S)-PPD presented typical apoptosis, as observed by morphological analysis in cell stained with DAPI. The percentages of annexin V-FITC positive cells were 8.92%, 17.8%, 24.5% and 30.5% in MCF-7 cells treated with 0, 15, 30 and $60{\mu}M$ of 20(S)-PPD, respectively. Moreover, 20(S)-PPD could induce mitochondrial membrane potential loss, up-regulate Bax expression and down-regulate Bcl-2 expression. These events paralleled activation of caspase-9, -3 and PARP cleavage. Apoptosis induced by 20(S)-PPD was blocked by z-VAD-fmk, a pan-caspase inhibitor, suggesting induction of caspase-mediated apoptotic cell death. In conclusion, the 20(S)-PPD investigated is able to inhibit cell proliferation and to induce cancer cell death by a caspase-mediated apoptosis pathway.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4199-4204
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• 2016

Cancer is a complex disease caused by a progressive accumulation of multiple genetic mutations. Consumption of fruits is associated with lower risk of several cancers, which is mainly associated to their phytochemical content. The use of functional foods and chemopreventive compounds seems to contribute in this process, acting by mechanisms of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and hormonal. The Psidium Guajava has high potential functional related to pigments who are involved in the process of cancer prevention by having antioxidant activity. The aim of the present review is to expose some chemical compounds from P. Guajava fractions and their association with anti-carcinogenic function. The evidences supports the theory of anticancer properties of P. Guajava, although the mechanisms are still not fully elucidated, but may include scavenging free radicals, regulation of gene expression, modulation of cellular signalling pathways including those involved in DNA damage repair, cell proliferation and apoptosis.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 2011

Eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) is a naturally occurring phenolic compound that is widely used in dentistry as a component of zinc oxide eugenol cement that is commonly applied to the mouth environment. Cisplatin is one of the most potent known anticancer agents and shows significant clinical activity against a variety of solid tumors. This study was undertaken to investigate the synergistic apoptotic effects of co-treatments with eugenol and cisplatin on human melanoma (G361) cells. To investigate whether this co-treatment efficiently reduces the viability of G361 cells compared with each single treatment, an MTT assay was conducted. The induction and augmentation of apoptosis were confirmed by DNA electrophoresis, Hoechst staining and an analysis of DNA hypoploidy. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining were also performed to evaluate the expression levels and the translocation of apoptosis-related proteins following this co-treatment. Furthermore, proteasome activity and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) changes were also assayed. The results indicated that a co-treatment with eugenol and cisplatin induced multiple pathways and processes associated with an apoptotic response in G361 cells including nuclear condensation, DNA fragmentation, a reduction in MMP and proteasome activity, the increase and decrease of Bax and Bcl-2, a decreased DNA content, the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, the translocation of AIF and DFF40 (CAD) into the nucleus, and the activation of caspase-9, caspase-7, caspase-3, PARP and DFF45 (ICAD). In contrast, separate treatments of 300 ${\mu}M$ eugenol or 3 ${\mu}M$ cisplatin for 24 h did not induce apoptosis. Our present data thus suggest that a combination therapy of eugenol and cisplatin is a potential treatment strategy for human melanoma.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.215-220
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• 2010

Angelica decursiva has been used in Korean traditional medicine as an antitussive, an analgesic, an antipyretic and a cough remedy. However, its anti-cancer properties have not yet been well defined. In our current study, we report the cytotoxic activity and the mechanism of cell death induced by ethanol extracts of Angelica decursiva (EEAD) against the human oral cancer cell line, KB. Treatment of KB cells with EEAD induced apoptotic cell death in both a dose- and time-dependent manner as determined by MTT assay and DNA fragmentation. However, no cytotoxic effects of EEAD against human normal oral keratinocytes (HNOK) were evident. By western blot analysis, we found that apoptosis in KB cells is associated with a decrease in procaspase-7 and -9. In addition, the activation of caspase-7 was detectable in living KB cells by fluorescence microscopy. These results suggest that EEAD exhibits anti-cancer activity in KB cells via apoptosis and thus has potential as an anticancer agent in future drug development strategies.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.607-611
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• 2012

Non-toxic stimulation of dendritic cells (DCs), which are central immunomodulators, may aid the prevention of cancer. Furthermore, induction of apoptosis in cancer cells by anticancer agents contributes to the induction of DC maturation. We previously reported that extracts from $Pinus$ $parviflora$ Sieb. et Zucc pine cone and $Mucuna$ seed induce differentiation of mouse bone marrow cells into mature dendritic cells and also induce apoptosis in various human cancer cell lines. In the present study, we screened 31 kinds of edible beans with biological activity similar to that of extracts from pine cone and $Mucuna$ and found that the heat-stable extract from azuki bean ($Vigna$ $angula$) stimulated differentiation of bone marrow cells into immature DCs with the greatest efficacy. The level of IL-6 produced by sequential treatment of DCs with azuki extract and lipopolysaccharide was the highest among the examined beans. Azuki extract also inhibited the growth of human leukemia U937 cells, leading to induction of apoptosis. These results suggest that azuki bean and its extract are immunopotentiating foods that can be used as a dietary supplement for cancer prevention and immunotherapy.