title: Anticancer potential of aqueous extract of alocasia macrorrhiza against hepatic cancer in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alocasia macrorrhiza has been used as a folk medicine for cancer treatment in the Southwest of China.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to confirm the anticancer activity of aqueous extract of alocasia macrorrhiza against hepatic cancer and to elucidate its mechanism of action.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human normal liver cells and hepatocellular carcinoma cells were tested in vitro for cytotoxicity, colony formation inhibition, EdU incorporation, AO/EB staining apoptotic cells, apoptotic DNA fragmentation, and cell cycle distribution in response to alocasia macrorrhiza extract. The mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ, Cyclin D1, Rb, P21, Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were detected through RT-PCR and Western blotting; the tumor growth inhibition in vivo was tested by oral administration of the extract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alocasia macrorrhiza aqueous extract exhibited proliferation inhibition and apoptosis effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro, inhibited hepatoma growth in vivo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alocasia macrorrhiza extract has potential cytotoxic and apoptotic effect on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and inhibits hepatoma growth in vivo, its mechanism of action might be associated with the inhibition of DNA synthesis, cell cycle (G(0)/G(1)) arrest, apoptosis induction through up-regulation the mRNA and protein expressions of PPARγ, Rb, Bax and capase-3genes and down-regulation of the expressions of Cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 genes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Geriatrics, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
authors.forename: Shengtao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Caiyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Quanbo
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiujie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D031055:Alocasia; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000187:drug effects; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D047495:PPAR gamma; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019938:Cyclin D1; D053148:Caspase 3