title: Honokiol produces anti-neoplastic effects on melanoma cells in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melanoma continues to be a therapeutic challenge for the medical community owing to the scarcity of effective agents available to treat the disease. Honokiol, a traditional Chinese herb, has been proven to have anti-cancer effects in various cell types, therefore we hypothesized it may have similar cytotoxic capabilities against melanoma cells in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two cell lines, SK-MEL2 and MeWo, were grown in culture and exposed to increasing doses of Honokiol. Cell proliferation, cytochrome c release into the cytosol, intra-cellular caspase activity, and mitochondrial depolarization were then evaluated after treatment with honokiol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Melanoma cells in culture underwent cell death, had increased cytosolic cytochrome c, showed greater caspase activity, and demonstrated increased mitochondrial depolarization after treatment when compared to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It appears that honokiol is an effective inhibitor of cultured human melanoma cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Vermont/Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, Vermont, USA. patrick.mannal@vtmednet.org
authors.forename: Patrick W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Mannal
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Abhilasha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tangada
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: McFadden
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020169:Caspases / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017705:Lignans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000498:Allyl Compounds; D010636:Phenols
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D020169:Caspases; D045304:Cytochromes c; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D017705:Lignans; C005499:honokiol; D000498:Allyl Compounds; D010636:Phenols