Inhibition of tumor growth in vitro by a combination of extracts from Rosa roxburghii Tratt and Fagopyrum cymosum.
OBJECTIVE
Traditional Chinese herbal medicines have a very long history. Rosa roxburghii Tratt and Fagopyrum cymosum are two examples of plants which are reputed to have benefits in improving immune responses, enhancing digestive ability and demonstrating anti-aging effects. Some evidence indicates that herbal medicine soups containing extracts from the two in combination have efficacy in treating malignant tumors. However, the underlying mechanisms are far from well understood. The present study was therefore undertaken to evaluate anticancer effects and explore molecular mechanisms in vitro.


METHODS
Proliferation and apoptosis were assessed with three carcinoma cell lines (human esophageal squamous carcinoma CaEs-17, human gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 and pulmonary carcinoma A549) by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively, after exposure to extract from Rosa roxburghii Tratt (CL) and extract from Fagopyrum cymosum (FR). IC30 of CL and FR were obtained by MTT assay. Tumor cells were divided into four groups: control with no exposure to CL or FR; CL with IC30 CL; FR with IC30 FR; CL+FR group with 1/2 (IC30 CL+IC30 FR). RT-PCR and Western blot analysis were used to detect the expression of Ki-67, Bax and Bcl-2 at mRNA and protein levels.


RESULTS
Compared with the CL or FR groups, the combination of CL+FR showed significant inhibition of cell growth and increase in apoptosis; the mRNA and protein expression levels of Ki-67 and Bcl-2 in CL+FR group were all greatly decreased, while the expression of Bax was markedly increased.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that the synergistic antitumor effects of combination of CL and FR are related to inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis.
Department of Radiotherapy, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Medical College, Southeast University Nanjing, Nanjing, China.
Wei
W
Liu
Su-Yi
SY
Li
Xin-En
XE
Huang
Jiu-Jie
JJ
Cui
Ting
T
Zhao
Hua
H
Zhang
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019612:Fagopyrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D027826:Rosa / Q000737:chemistry*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
C494826:BAX protein, human; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein