title: Potential anticancer activity of litchi fruit pericarp extract against hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Litchi fruit pericarp (LFP) extract contains significant amounts of polyphenolic compounds, and exhibits powerful antioxidative activity against fat oxidation in vitro. The purpose of this study is to confirm the anticancer activity of LFP extract against hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo, and to elucidate the mechanism of its activity. Human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line was tested in vitro for cytotoxicity, colony formation inhibition, and cell cycle distribution through flow cytometry after treatment with water-soluble crude ethanolic extract (CEE) from LFP. Murine hepatoma bearing-mice were fed doses of 0.15, 0.3, and 0.6g/kg/day of water-soluble CEE in DH(2)O p.o. for 10 days, respectively, to test the anticancer activity and BrdU incorporation of cancer cells in vivo. LFP extract demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effect on cancer cell growth; IC(50) was 80microg/ml, and significantly inhibited colony formation in vitro, tumor growth and BrdU incorporation into cancer cells in vivo. The tumor inhibitory rates at doses of 0.15, 0.3, and 0.6g/kg/day were 17.31% (P>0.05), 30.77% (P<0.05), and 44.23% (P<0.01), respectively. BrdU labeled tumor cells of treated animals were 11.80+/-2.79%, and were significantly lower than that in untreated controls (23.00+/-5.42%, P<0.05). Our findings showed that LFP extract exhibited potential anticancer activity against hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo through proliferating inhibition and apoptosis induction of cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Experimental Oncology, National Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China. xiujiewang@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Xiujie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Shulan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Guanjian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yanrong Lu Jie
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wendong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D032125:Litchi / Q000737:chemistry*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine