title: Cell cycle arrest and cell apoptosis induced by Equisetum hyemale extract in murine leukemia L1210 cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Equisetum hyemale has been used as a traditional herbal medicine to treat various diseases such as hypertension, inflammatory diseases, acute stroke, bleeding and cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the anti-proliferative effect and the underlying mechanisms of E.hyemale extract on murine leukemia L1210 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  The inhibitory effect of Ehyemale extract on L1210cells was evaluated by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Cell cycle distribution was evaluated with flow cytometry following PI (propidium iodide) staining. Apoptotic cell death was determined by Annexin V-FITC/PI and nuclear DAPI (4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining. DNA damage and changes of mitochondrial membrane potential were also detected with flow cytometry analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  E.hyemale extract exerted significant antiproliferative effects on L1210 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis showed that E.hyemale extract induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in L1210 cells. Phosphatidylserine exposure, chromatin condensation, DNA damage and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential were observed clearly after treatment with Ehyemale extract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results in this study indicate that E.hyemale extract could inhibit L1210 cell proliferation through inducing G2/M arrest and cell apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: National Engineering Laboratory for Resource Developing of Endangered Chinese Crude Drugs in Northwest of China, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Hongxia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Quanhong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaoxia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yuetao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yaping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D020829:Equisetum; D007939:Leukemia L1210; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts