title: Strong antiproliferative effects of baicalein in cultured rat hepatic stellate cells.
abstract: Recently, antifibrogenetic effects of Sho-saiko-to, a traditional herbal medicine in Japan, have been shown in experimental hepatic fibrosis, and flavonoids in Sho-saiko-to are suspected as active ingredients. Thus, we evaluated the effects of baicalein, a major flavonoid in Sho-saiko-to, on proliferation and protein synthesis in cultured rat hepatic stellate cells. Baicalein decreased [3H]thymidine incorporation in cells stimulated with platelet-derived growth factor-B subunit homodimer (PDGF-BB) in a concentration-dependent manner (approximate ED50<10 microM, P<0.0001), and the decrease observed with 10 microM baicalein was greater than those observed with 5 microM retinol or 500 microM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). Baicalein consistently decreased [3H]thymidine incorporation and cell number in cells stimulated with fetal calf serum (ED50<10 microM, P<0.0001), and moderately suppressed [3H]leucine and [3H]proline incorporation (P<0.0001). These results demonstrate the strong antiproliferative effect of baicalein in hepatic stellate cells, showing the possibility of baicalein as an antifibrogenetic drug for hepatic fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Daisan Hospital, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry*; D044950:Flavanones; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D010452:Peptide Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011392:Proline / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D044950:Flavanones; D005419:Flavonoids; D019384:Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors; D014316:Tritium; C006680:baicalein; C018142:saiko-keishi-to; D004247:DNA; D011392:Proline; D007930:Leucine; D013936:Thymidine