title: Antiproliferative effects of tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima Swingle).
abstract: Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima Swingle) was evaluated for its cytotoxic and antiproliferative activities by a bioassay-oriented study. Cytotoxicity observed in HeLa cells was time-dependent; the treatment with 10 microg/mL of the root chloroform extract reduced cell viability by 56% at 24 h and 29% at 48 h of exposure, whereas no effect was recorded in the controls. Significant effects were observed also for chromatographic fractions and the pure isolated alkaloid 1-methoxy-canthin-6-one. After 72 h of incubation cell viability was less than 10% for all treatments. A possible apoptotic effect was evaluated by monitoring the presence of hypodiploid elements in HeLa cells as well as in SAOS, U87MG and U-937 tumor cell lines. The cells incubated for different times with the active extract, fraction and pure alkaloid isolated from A. altissima showed a remarkable increase in the apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Salerno Via Ponte don Melillo, 84084 Fisciano Salerno, Italy. defeo@unisa.it
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Feo
authors.forename: Laura De
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Arturo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Cosimo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pizza
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franceschelli
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pascale
mesh_terms: D032268:Ailanthus; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018517:Plant Roots
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts