title: Biological inhibitory effects of the Chinese herb danggui on brain astrocytoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous studies have demonstrated the utility of the traditional Chinese herb danggui in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Our aim was to examine whether it might similarly be used to treat glioblastoma multiforme.
  
  
  METHODS
  The lipid-soluble active ingredients of danggui were extracted with acetone (AS-AC) or chlorophenol (AS-CH) and their antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects were studiedin vitro on cultured GBM 8401 cells and in vivoon tumors in nude mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a 24-hour treatment, either AS-AC or AS-CH at a lower (50 micro g/ml) and a higher concentration (100 micro g/ml) significantly inhibited the proliferative activity of GBM 8401 cultured cells by 30-50%, as well as the expression of cathepsin B and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In nude mice, the growth of the tumor was inhibited by 30% by AS-CH or AS-AC (20 mg/kg; p < 0.05) and by 60% by AS-CH or AS-AC (60 mg/kg; p < 0.05). AS-AC and AS-CH also significantly inhibited microvessel formation in the tumors of nude mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Danggui may inhibit tumor growth by reducing the level of VEGF and the proapoptotic protein, cathepsin B. Thus, danggui may be useful in the treatment of high-grade astrocytomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Wei-Hwa
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong-Shiaw
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Wen-Chiuan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Yu-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wen-Liang
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chen-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Lia-Fa
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Sheu
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D029971:Angelica sinensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002401:Cathepsin B / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005562:Formazans / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005562:Formazans; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C079782:MTT formazan; D002401:Cathepsin B