title: Anti-oxidant and anti-cancer activities of Angelica dahurica extract via induction of apoptosis in colon cancer cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angelica dahurica Radix is the common herbal medicine with anti-cancer activities. However, details of its anti-cancer activities are lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the anti-cancer effects of Angelica dahurica extract in HT-29 colon cancer cell line. Cell viability, apoptotic and necrotic activities and the mechanism of actions of the active fraction were measured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The organic extract of Angelica dahurica Radi decreased significantly the gene expression of p53, Bcl, Bax and induced apoptosis via caspase cascade and cell cycle arrest. The ethanol-ethyl acetate fraction showed anti-cancer activities in HT-29 cancer cells. A HPLC-DAD analysis of the fraction indicated the presence of Imperatorin and isoimperatorin, which are the major coumarins in the active fraction that contribute to the anti-cancer activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has evaluated the ant-cancer activity of the organic extract of Angelica dahurica Radix against colon cancer cells and provided a basis of further development of the herbal extract for treatment of colon cancer.
authors.affiliation: Minnan Normal University, College of Biological Science and Technology, Zhangzhou 363000, PR China. Electronic address: ws203ho@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Yi Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: James Zheng
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Amy Xiaoxu
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wing Shing
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D029969:Angelica / Q000737:chemistry; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects*; D002681:China; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D019073:HT29 Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Angelica dahurica Radix; Apoptosis; Cell cycle arrest; Colon cancer; ROS scavenger