title: Cytotoxic activity and G2/M cell cycle arrest mediated by antofine, a phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid isolated from Cynanchum paniculatum.
abstract: Starting with an extract derived from the root of Cynanchum paniculatum Kitagawa (Asclepiadaceae) that was active in the process of inhibiting the growth of human cancer cells in culture, a phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid antofine was isolated and identified as an active principle (IC50 = 7.0 +/- 0.2 ng/ml for A549, human lung cancer cells; IC50 = 8.6 +/- 0.3 ng/ml for Col2, human colon cancer cells). Prompted by the high potency of cancer cell growth inhibition, additional action mechanism studies were performed with antofine. Utilizing cultured Col2 cells as a model, antofine induced arrest in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle after 48 h of incubation. With wash-out experiment, colony formation was also inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest the potential of antofine to serve as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent by virtue of arresting the cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Korea. sklee@mm.ewha.ac.kr
authors.forename: Sang Kook
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyung-Ae
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Yoen-Hoi
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Heo
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D031105:Cynanchum / Q000737:chemistry*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles; D010618:Phenanthrolines / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D007211:Indoles; D010618:Phenanthrolines; C473343:antofine