title: Differential cytotoxicity of triphala and its phenolic constituent gallic acid on human prostate cancer LNCap and normal cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed solid malignancies among US men. We identified gallic acid (GA) as a major bioactive cytotoxic constituent of a polyherbal Ayurvedic formulation - triphala (TPL). Both TPL and GA were evaluated on (AR)(+) LNCaP prostate cancer and normal epithelial cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total polyphenols in TPL were determined using Folin and Ciocalteu method, followed by GA quantitation by high performance liquid chromatography. Cell toxicity was evaluated by crystal violet after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TPL contains 40% unidentified polyphenolic acids, of which 2.4% comprised GA. GA induced severe morphological alterations and was about 3-fold more cytotoxic towards cancer cells than TPL. This activity increased further in the presence of dihydrotestosterone. GA toxicity on normal cells was low at 72 h. Combination of GA with flutamide caused higher toxicity to cancer cells than either of the compounds alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GA appears to have promising anticancer activity.
authors: Neuropharmacology Section, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL-32307, USA.
authors: Larry H
authors: LH
authors: Russell
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Mazzio
authors: Ramesh B
authors: RB
authors: Badisa
authors: Zhi-Ping
authors: ZP
authors: Zhu
authors: Maryam
authors: M
authors: Agharahimi
authors: Donna J
authors: DJ
authors: Millington
authors: Carl B
authors: CB
authors: Goodman
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; C520904:triphala; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D005707:Gallic Acid