title: Antioxidant and antitumor effects of ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is to investigate the antioxidant and antitumor effects of the extract fractions of the Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four different fractions of the Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen were obtained by the extraction with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and methanol, respectively, which were used to treat the HCT116, Caco-2, HepG2, and MFC cells. Free radical scavenging effects of the ferula fractions were deteced with the DPPH assay. Effects of the ferula fractions on the peroliferatoin of the tumor cells were assessed with the SRB assay. Apoptosis was detected with flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The DPPH assay showed that the petroleum ether fraction hardly showed any antioxidant activity, while the ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and methanol fractions exhibited free radical-scavenging capacities, in a dose dependent manner. The SRB assay showed that, the proliferation of the tumor cells could be inhibited by the ferula fractions, in a dose dependent manner. However, differential effects were observed for the different fractions in different model cells. Particularly, the ethyl acetate fraction exerted the most efficient inhibiting effects on the tumor cell proliferation. In addition, the flow cytometry showed that, all the ferula fractions significantly enhanced the apoptotic process in the tumor cells, with differential enhancing capacities in different model cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extract fractions of the Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen could exert antioxidant, proliferation-inhibiting, and apoptosis-enhancing effects in tumor cells. Particularly, the ethyl acetate fraction exhibits the most potent antioxidant and antitumor effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Xinjiang Medical UniversityUrumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China; Department of Pharmacy, Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Xinjiang Medical UniversityUrumqi 830000, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Haiying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830000, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Longlong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830000, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Mingxin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
keywords: Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen; anti-tumor effects; antioxidant effects; extract fractions