title: Ocimum sanctum induces apoptosis in A549 lung cancer cells and suppresses the in vivo growth of Lewis lung carcinoma cells.
abstract: Although Ocimum sanctum has been used extensively for its medicinal values in India and China, its antitumor activity against human nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) A549 cells has not been investigated until now. Therefore, the antitumor mechanism of ethanol extracts of Ocimum sanctum (EEOS) was elucidated in A549 cells in vitro and the Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) animal model. EEOS exerted cytotoxicity against A549 cells, increased the sub-G1 population and exhibited apoptotic bodies in A549 cells. Furthermore, EEOS cleaved poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), released cytochrome C into cytosol and simultaneously activated caspase-9 and -3 proteins. Also, EEOS increased the ratio of proapoptotic protein Bax/antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt and extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) in A549 cancer cells. In addition, it was found that EEOS can suppress the growth of LLC inoculated onto C57BL/6 mice in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, these results demonstrate that EEOS induces apoptosis in A549 cells via a mitochondria caspase dependent pathway and inhibits the in vivo growth of LLC, suggesting that EEOS can be applied to lung carcinoma as a chemopreventive candidate.
authors.affiliation: College of Oriental Medicine, Kyunghee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Venkataraman
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Magesh
authors.forename: Jang-Choon
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwang Seok
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Hyo-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyo-Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun-Ok
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bum Sang
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Hee Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jin Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Keun
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kyoo-Seok
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Sung-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D018827:Carcinoma, Lewis Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D031339:Ocimum; D010766:Phosphorylation; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9