title: The Herbal Medicine Utrica Dioica Inhibits Proliferation of Colorectal Cancer Cell Line by Inducing Apoptosis and Arrest at the G2/M Phase.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the major causes of cancer death internationally and the third most prevalent cancer in the world has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Although current routine treatments of cancer have been successful in some extent, mortality caused by adverse effects of these strategies is still raising. Medicinal plants are potential sources of anticancer compounds and can be exploited as a powerful complementary tool. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of nettle extract on mouse colorectal cancer cells, HCT.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, to evaluate the cytotoxicity of nettle extract, MTT assay and trypan blue were performed. Subsequently, DNA fragmentation and TUNEL test was carried out for determination of apoptosis. Real-time PCR test was used to quantify the expression of Caspase-3, Caspase-9, and Bcl-2 which is involved in apoptosis regulation. Finally, cell cycle analysis was conducted by using flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of MTT assay showed that the dichloromethane extract of U. dioica extract significantly destroyed cancer cells HCT-116. DNA fragmentation and TUNEL test demonstrated that Utrica extract elicited apoptotic response in the cancer cells. The messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 markedly increased, while the Bcl-2 gene was conversely downregulated. Findings of flow cytometry confirmed that cell cycle arrest has occurred at the G2 phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our experiment showed that subjecting HCT-116 cells to dichloromethane extract of nettle (U. dioica), increases turnover of these cells. Thus, it may be a useful agent in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Daneshghah Ave, Tabriz, Iran.|Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Daneshghah Ave, Tabriz, Iran.|Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mansoori
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahyar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aghapour
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Daneshghah Ave, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Pooneh Chokhachi
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Baradaran
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Daneshghah Ave, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Neda
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shajari
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Daneshghah Ave, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sadaf
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davudian
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Daneshghah Ave, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Shima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Daneshghah Ave, Tabriz, Iran. Behzad_im@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baradaran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D059447:Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D026982:Urtica dioica / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Apoptosis; Cytotoxicity; HCT-116; Utrica dioica