title: [The anti-leukemia effect of Sophora flavescens and its mechanism].
abstract: By using CFU-GM/CFU-L colony assay, NBT/MTT reductant test and DNA fragmentation analysis, we studied the effects of Sophora flavescens (SF) on CFU-GM proliferative ratio in human normal bone marrow/umbilical cord blood and on proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in human acute myelogenous leukemia HL-60 cells. The results showed that 5, 10, 15, 20 micrograms.microliter-1 of SF significantly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in the HL-60 cells in a dose-dependent fashion. Fifteen micrograms.microliter-1 of SF also induced differentiation in HL-60 cells. Furthermore, cytotoxic activity of SF(5-15 micrograms.microliter-1) was not apparent on human normal hematopoietic progenitors(CFU-GM). The results indicate that an appropriate concentration of SF has a selective antileukemic effect. Thus, these are important impetuses for further research of SF as an anticancer agent.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Blood Physiology, Hunan Medical University, Changsha 410078.
authors.forename: M Q
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Q R
authors.initials: QR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: D Z
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018922:HL-60 Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D029909:Sophora / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal