Protective effects of the ethanolic extract of Melia toosendan fruit against colon cancer.
Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world. Plant-derived products have proven to be valuable sources for discovery and development of unique anticancer drugs. In this study, the inhibitory effects of ethanolic extract of Melia toosendan fruit (EMTF), a traditional medicine in the Chinese Pharmacopeia were evaluated in vitro and in vivo against colon cancer. Human colon cancer cells SW480 and murine colorectal adenocarcinoma cells CT26 were used to investigate cell proliferation. The results showed that EMTF inhibited cell proliferation of SW480 and CT26 by promoting apoptosis as indicated by nuclear chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. Through increasing mitochondrial membrane permeability and cytochrome c release from mitochondria, EMTF induced caspase-9 activity which further activated caspase-3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, leading the tumor cells to apoptosis. The in vivo results confirmed reduction of tumor volume and apoptotic effects and the side effects were not induced by EMTF. Therefore, EMTF may be an effective chemotherapeutic agent for colon cancer treatment.
Department of Infection Biology, Zoonosis Research Center, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk 570-749, South Korea.
Xue-Lian
XL
Tang
Xin-Ying
XY
Yang
Youn-Chul
YC
Kim
Sung-Yeon
SY
Kim
Back-Dong
BD
Kang
Du-Young
DY
Choi
Ok-Jin
OJ
Kim
Won-Cheol
WC
Park
Hyun
H
Park
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D031585:Melia / Q000737:chemistry*; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
D010936:Plant Extracts; D045304:Cytochromes c; D011065:Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9