title: Decursin: a cytotoxic agent and protein kinase C activator from the root of Angelica gigas.
abstract: A cytotoxic compound was purified from the root of Angelica gigas Nakai by silica gel chromatography and preparative HPLC. As a result of the structure analysis by mass, IR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectrometry, the effective compound was identified as decursin, a pyranocoumarin characterized originally from Angelica decursiva Fr. et Sav. In vitro cytotoxicity testing showed that decursin displayed toxic activity against various human cancer cell lines, for which the ED50 of decursin was about 5-16 micrograms/ml. On the other hand, decursin displayed relatively low cytotoxicity against normal fibroblasts. Decursin also activated protein kinase C (PKC) in vitro, which indicates that the cytotoxic activity of decursin may be related to the protein kinase C activation.
authors.affiliation: Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Taejon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002087:Butyrates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001578:Benzopyrans; D002087:Butyrates; D007527:Isoenzymes; C101278:decursin; D011493:Protein Kinase C