title: Ligustrazine induces apoptosis of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ligustrazine, the active ingredient present in Umbelliferae plant roots used in Chinese medicine, plays a vital role in reversing multidrug resistance in tumors. This study aims to investigate its anticancer activity and underlying mechanisms in human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 was incubated with different concentrations of ligustrazine. The cell viability was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay; and cell apoptosis and cell cycle were assessed by flow cytometry. Subcutaneous MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumors were established in nude BALB/c mice. Ligustrazine was intraperitoneally administered. The tumor growth was monitored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vitro, ligustrazine inhibited cell survival in a dose-and time-dependent manner, and induced apoptosis, as indicated by a dramatic increase in sub-G0/G1 cells. The in vivo results were consistent with the in vitro ones: Administration of ligustrazine substantially inhibited tumor growth, which also indicated that ligustrazine inhibited proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells in vitro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ligustrazine causes apoptotic death and tumor regression in human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo models.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Jiang-Feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215004, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Qin
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Zhi-Xue
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016192:Resting Phase, Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011719:Pyrazines; C017953:tetramethylpyrazine