title: Effects and potential mechanisms of Danzhi Xiaoyao Pill on proliferation of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of 50% ethyl alcohol (EtOH) extracts from Danzhi Xiaoyao Pill (, DXP) on the proliferation of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells and potential mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  ATP-Lite assay was performed to test the proliferation of the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line; and antioxidant activity was measured by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). The effects of DXP on nitric oxide (NO) production were tested by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages using the Griess reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 50% EtOH DXP extracts displayed a cytotoxic response on MCF-7 cells at 0.10, 0.25 and 0.50 mg/mL dose-dependently with the proliferation inhibited by more than 85%. The ORAC value of the DXP was 820 micro moL Trolox equivalent/g, about 40% of the vitamin C value. DXP extracts had significant inhibitory effect on NO production at the concentration from 0.0625 mg/mL to 0.5 mg/mL (P<0.05, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The extracts of DXP could significantly inhibit the proliferation of MCF-7 cells, with the effect possibly related to its antioxidant activity and the inhibition of NO production.
authors.affiliation: Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Taiyuan, China. liao_hui@21cn.com
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Linda K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Banbury
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Leach
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C531141:danzhi xiaoyao; D009569:Nitric Oxide