title: Antiproliferative activity of root extract from gentian plant (Gentiana triflora) on cultured and implanted tumor cells.
abstract: We describe a novel pharmacological activity of the gentian root, an ingredient of Chinese medicines. Root extract from Gentiana triflora triggered cell death of human Daudi cells in culture. In addition, daily administration of the extract to mice inhibited growth of implanted solid tumors. Extract treatment of cultured cells resulted in the appearance of shranken, fragmented, or condensed cell and nuclear morphologies, and in chromosomal DNA degradation. But, the extract-treated cells did not show DNA fragmentation, which exhibits a nucleosome ladder, suggesting that extract-triggered cell death is not mediated through a typical apoptotic pathway.
authors.affiliation: Cryobiosystem Research Center, Iwate University, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsukawa
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hikage
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.forename: Yoshitaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimotai
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saitoh
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ouchi
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.forename: Ken-Ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048430:Cell Shape; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D030012:Gentiana / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts