title: Effects of euxanthone on neuronal differentiation.
abstract: The growth inhibitory and differentiation inducing effects of euxanthone (1,7-dihydroxyxanthone) from the medicinal plant Polygala caudata on the neuroblastoma (Neural 2A, subclone BU-1) were investigated. At the concentration range of 0-100 microM, euxanthone inhibits the growth of BU-1 cells in a dose dependent manner. The 50% growth inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 41 microM. Significant induction of morphological differentiation and neurite growth was observed at the concentration of 100 microM. Frequency of proliferative neuroblastoma cells was determined after induction of differentiation. The frequency of proliferating BU-1 cells was markedly reduced from 1/1.1 to <1/99. Confocal microscopy also confirmed that the morphological differentiation of BU-1 was associated with the expression of neurite specific marker MAP-2 protein in neurites. These data suggest that euxanthone may be one of the neuropharmacological active compounds in the medicinal plant Polygala caudata.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014966:Xanthenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044004:Xanthones
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D014966:Xanthenes; D044004:Xanthones; C404221:euxanthone