Anticancer activity of Saussurea lappa extract by apoptotic pathway in KB human oral cancer cells. (November 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Moon, Sung-Min; Yun, Sang Joon; Kook, Joong-Ki; Kim, Heung-Joong; Choi, Mi Suk; Park, Bo Ram; Kim, Su-Gwan; Kim, Byung-Ock; Lee, Sook-Young; Ahn, Hoon; Chun, Hong Sung; Kim, Do Kyung; Kim, Chun Sung
• Is Part Of: Pharmaceutical biology. Volume 51:Number 11(2013:Nov.)
• Page Start: 1372
• Page End: 1377
• Publication Date: 2013-11
• Subjects: Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Materia medica, Vegetable -- Periodicals; 615.321
• DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2013.792847
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-0209

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Context: Saussurea lappa</italic> Dence (Compositae) is used as a traditional herbal medicine to treat abdominal pain and tenesmus in East Asia. Current studies have shown that <italic>S. lappa</italic> has anticancer activity in divergent of cancer cells. However, the effects of <italic>S. lappa</italic> on oral cancer and its mechanisms of action have yet to be elucidated.</p> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: To explore its potential chemotherapeutic effects and mechanism of cell growth inhibition on human oral cancer cells.</p> <p> <italic>Materials and methods</italic>: The dried roots of <italic>S. lappa</italic> were used in this study. Cell viability of KB cells was evaluated by 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay after treatment with 30 µg/ml of methanol extract from the dried roots of <italic>S. lappa</italic>. To understand whether its effect on cell death is related with apoptosis pathway, we performed DNA fragmentation assay, western blot, caspase activity assay and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis.</p> <p> <italic>Results</italic>: Treatment of <italic>S. lappa</italic> extract onto KB cells reduced cell viability significantly with an IC<sub>50</sub> value of 30 µg/ml. The formation of a DNA ladder was observed starting at the 24 h treatment. In western blotting analysis, the <italic>S. lappa</italic> extract induced the proteolytic processing of caspase-3, -9 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, a significant increase of Bax and marked reduction of Bcl-2. We also confirmed the activation of caspase-3/-7 in living KB cells by fluorescence microscopy.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusion</italic>: These results suggested that <italic>S. lappa</italic> extract inhibited cell proliferation through the apoptosis pathway in KB human oral cancer cells.</p> </abstract>