title: The extract of Hypericum ascyron L. induces bacterial cell death through apoptosis pathway.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypericum ascyron L. (H. ascyron L.) has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of wounds, swelling, headache, nausea, stomach ache, abscesses, dysentery and chronic bronchitis. Pharmacological studies are necessary to provide a scientific basis to substantiate their traditional use. In this study, antimicrobial effect and its mechanism of the H. ascyron L. extract was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antimicrobial activity of the H. ascyron L. extract was evaluated by the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay (MTT). To confirm the antimicrobial mechanism of H. ascyron L. extract on bacterial cells, Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) double staining, TUNEL, and DNA laddering analysis were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Antibacterial effects of the H. ascyron L. extract were tested on Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus, and the results showed that the sensitive bacteria of H. ascyron L. extract mainly included E. coli, S. aureus and M. luteus, especially M. luteus. The MBC value of H. ascyron L. extract on M. luteus was equal to the MIC (20mg/mL). H. ascyron L. extract could induce cells death of M. luteus through apoptosis pathway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides scientific support for some of the traditional uses and the pharmacological activities of H. ascyron L. Our data provide a rational base for the folkloric use of H. ascyron L.
authors: Key Lab of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Lab of Industrial Microbiology; College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, PR China.
authors: Xiu-Mei
authors: XM
authors: Li
authors: Key Lab of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Lab of Industrial Microbiology; College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, PR China. Electronic address: luoxuegang@hotmail.com.
authors: Xue-Gang
authors: XG
authors: Luo
authors: Key Lab of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Lab of Industrial Microbiology; College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, PR China.
authors: Nan
authors: N
authors: Wang
authors: Key Lab of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Lab of Industrial Microbiology; College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, PR China.
authors: Hao
authors: H
authors: Zhou
authors: State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, PR China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Pulp & Paper, Tianjin University of Science & Technology, Tianjin 300457, PR China.
authors: Chuan-Ling
authors: CL
authors: Si
authors: Key Lab of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Lab of Industrial Microbiology; College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, PR China.
authors: Kun
authors: K
authors: Li
authors: Key Lab of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Lab of Industrial Microbiology; College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, PR China.
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Ma
authors: Key Lab of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Lab of Industrial Microbiology; College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, PR China; Institute of Biology and Medicine, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, PR China. Electronic address: tony@tust.edu.cn.
authors: Tong-Cun
authors: TC
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D020834:Ethnopharmacology / Q000379:methods; D020902:Hypericum / Q000737:chemistry*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000379:methods; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antimicrobial; Apoptosis; Hypericum ascyron L. extract