Aqueous extract of Phyllanthus urinaria induces apoptosis in human cancer cells.
Cell apoptosis is now known to play an important role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and anti-carcinogenesis. The anticancer effect of aqueous extract prepared from Phyllanthus urinaria (P. urinaria) was investigated by analyzing its potential to induce apoptosis in human cancer cells. We showed that the aqueous extract of P. urinaria could reduce the viability by inducing the apoptosis in human cancer cells derived from several different origins as demonstrated by morphological changes and DNA fragmentation. Yet, P. urinaria extract exhibited no cytotoxic effect on normal human cells, including vascular endothelial cells and liver cells under the same conditions. It suggests that the aqueous extract of P. urinaria is substantially useful in treating various kinds of human cancer cells without toxic side effect on normal cells.
Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan.
Sheng-Teng
ST
Huang
Rong-Chi
RC
Yang
Jong-Hwei S
JH
Pang
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D029803:Phyllanthus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D010936:Plant Extracts