title: Zanthoxylum bungeanum essential oil induces apoptosis of HaCaT human keratinocytes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zanthoxylum bungeanum (ZB), a Chinese herb medicine, has been shown to possess a wide range of biological activities including anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial activity and has long been used to treat a variety of skin diseases including psoriasis. However, the underlying mechanism of action has not been systematically elucidated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to analyze the chemical composition of the hydro-distilled Zanthoxylum bungeanum essential oil (ZBEO), and to investigate its anti-proliferative activity on HaCaT cells as well as the underlying anti-psoriasis mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The chemical composition of ZBEO was analyzed with gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). HaCaT cells was exposed to different dose of ZBEO added in medium prior to morphologic features analysis as well as cell cycle arrest examination with Flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was employed to estimate the expression level of proteins including caspase-8/9/3, PARP, Bax and Bcl-2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine compounds of the ZBEO were identified GC-MS. ZBEO-treated HaCaT cells showed typical apoptotic morphologic features by DAPI staining assay. The ZBEO significantly inhibited proliferation of HaCaT cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner and induced S phase arrest apoptosis in HaCaT cells. Furthermore, western blot analysis revealed that the ZBEO increased expression of cleaved caspase-8/9/3, PARP, and Bax, decreased Bcl-2 levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ZBEO inhibits the proliferation of HaCaT cells, resulting from the induction of cellular apoptosis through both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. ZBEO is a potential candidate that may be considered for development into an anti-psoriasis drug.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: likeyou2675@nwsuaf.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Keyou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: 327862013@qq.com.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: 316259853@qq.com.
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang Jia
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: greatlizhe@vip.qq.com.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China. Electronic address: 442534389@qq.com.
authors.forename: Jiazhou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Boxabio Tech Ltd, Guangzhou Hi-Tech Development Zone, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: PengfeiZhang@163.com.
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Guangzhou Boxabio Tech Ltd, Guangzhou Hi-Tech Development Zone, Guangzhou, China; Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University, South Parks Road, OX1 3QR Oxford, UK. Electronic address: xiao.tiancun@chem.ox.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Tiancun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000032:analysis; D032106:Zanthoxylum
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D064209:Phytochemicals
keywords: Apoptosis; Cis-β-Ocimene (PubChem CID: 5320250); D-Limonene (PubChem CID: 440917); Essential oil; Eucalyptol (PubChem CID: 2758); HaCaT; Psoriasis; Terpinen-4-ol(PubChem CID:11230); Trans-β-Ocimene (PubChem CID: 5281553); Zanthoxylum bungeanum; α-Terpineol (PubChem CID: 17100); β-Myrcene (PubChem CID: 31253); β-Phellandrene (PubChem CID: 11142); β-linalool (PubChem CID: 6549); γ-Terpinene (PubChem CID: 7461)