Lianghua Chen

Anti-proliferation and apoptosis induced by a novel intestinal metabolite of ginseng saponin in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

20‐O‐(β‐d‐glucopyranosyl)‐20(S)‐protopanaxadiol (IH‐901), a novel intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginseng protopanaxadiol saponins, is reported to induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells. We purified the compound and measured its in vitro anti‐tumor activity. IH‐901 inhibited cell growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC7721 cells in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. We also found that IH‐901 induced apoptotic cell death concurrent with cell cycle arrest in G0–G1 phase in SMMC7721 cells. At the molecular level, we show that IH‐901 upregulates cytochrome c, p53, and Bax expression, and downregulates pro‐caspase‐3 and pro‐caspase‐9 expressions in a dose‐dependent manner, while the levels of Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐XL were unchanged in IH‐901‐treated SMMC7721 cells. These results provide significant insight into the anticarcinogenic action of IH‐901.

Ginsenoside Compound K Attenuates Metastatic Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, which Is Associated with the Translocation of Nuclear Factor-κB p65 and Reduction of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2/9

The intestinal metabolite of ginseng saponin, compound K (CK), has various chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activities, including anti-tumor activity. However, the functional mechanisms through which CK attenuates metastatic growth in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Here, using multiple IN VITRO and IN VIVO models, we reported that CK strongly attenuated colony formation, adhesion, and invasion of HCC cells IN VITRO and dramatically inhibited spontaneous HCC metastatic growth IN VIVO. At the molecular level, immunofluorescence and Western blotting analysis confirmed that inhibition of metastatic growth of HCC induced by CK treatment caused a time-dependent decrease in nuclear NF- κB p65 and a concomitant increase in cytosolic NF- κB p65, indicating that CK suppressed the activation of the NF- κB pathway. Meanwhile, our study showed that the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase2/9 (MMP2/9) expression caused by CK treatment was associated with NF- κB p65 nuclear export. Taken together, our results not only revealed that NF- κB p65 nuclear export and the reduction of MMP2/9 expression were associated with the metastatic inhibition induced by CK, but also suggested that CK may become a potential cytotoxic drug in the prevention and treatment of HCC.

Compound K-induced apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma MHCC97-H cells in vitro

An intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginseng protopanaxadiol saponin, 20-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-20(S)-protopanaxadiol (compound K), has been reported to induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells. However, the precise mechanisms induced by compound K in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells remain unclear. In order to examine possible apoptotic mechanisms, we investigated the anticancer effect of compound K in MHCC97-H. MTT assay showed that compound K inhibited the proliferation of MHCC97-H cells with a relatively low toxicity in normal hepatoma cells. Cell cycle progression and cell staining showed an increase in apoptotic sub-G1 fraction. Treatment of MHCC97-H with compound K also induced a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and DNA damage. Further study showed that compound K upregulated Fas, FasL, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and downregulated pro-caspase-9, pro-caspase-3 in a dose-dependent manner, and it also inhibited Akt phosphorylation. These results suggest that compound K significantly inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in MHCC97-H cells through Fas- and mitochondria-mediated caspase-dependent pathways in human HCC cells.

Corilagin inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation by inducing G2/M phase arrest

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of most common types of malignant tumours. Therefore, it is very important to identify powerful drugs and their antitumour mechanisms. Corilagin has a significant antitumour potential and lower toxicity in normal cells in vitro. The IC50 values of corilagin for normal Chang‐liver cells and the HCC cell lines Bel7402 and SMMC7721 were 131.4, 24.5 and 23.4u2009µM, respectively, in the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. MHCC97‐H xenografts in Balb/c mice intraperitoneally injected with 30u2009mg/kg corilagin for 5 weeks showed a 47.3% inhibition of tumour growth in vivo. Furthermore, data from flow cytometry and Western blot analyses of cell cycle and cell cycle‐related proteins suggest that corilagin arrests SMMC7721 cells at the G2/M phase by downregulating p‐Akt and cyclin B1/cdc2 and upregulating p‐p53 and p21Cip1. In conclusion, corilagin is a potential antitumour drug that is effective in retarding the growth of HCC, which is correlated with the activation of p‐p53‐p21Cip1‐cdc2/cyclin B1.

A new flavonoside from the invasive plant Macfadyena unguis-cati.

A new flavonoside, namely cirsimarin B (1), along with two known compounds cirsimarin (2) and acteoside (3), were isolated from the aerial parts of the invasive plant Macfadyena unguis-cati. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses (IR, FT-ICR-MS, 1D and 2D NMR) and by comparison with those reported. Compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity by the MTT method.

Bioguided Fraction and Isolation of the Antitumor Components from Phyllanthus niruri L.

Phyllanthus niruri L., a well-known medicinal plant, has been used as a folk antitumor remedy in the worldwide scale. However, the antitumor components in P. niruri have not been reported. In order to verify the antitumor components of P. niruri and the plants which have the high content of these components, we isolated the antitumor components with bioguided fraction and isolation, by different chromatographic methods from the ethyl acetate fraction of P. niruri., and identified them as ethyl brevifolincarboxylate and corilagin by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 2D-NMR, and mass spectrometric analyses. Cell cytotoxicity assays showed that corilagin has broad-spectrum antitumor activity, a better antitumor potential, and lower toxicity in normal cells. Besides, the coefficient of drug interaction (CDI) of 10u2009μM corilagin and 20u2009μM cDDP reached up to 0.77, which means corilagin can promote the antitumor activity of cDDP. Furthermore, by the extensive screening among 10 species of plants reported to contain corilagin, we found that Dimocarpus longan Lour. has the maximum content of corilagin. In conclusion, corilagin is the major active antitumor composition in P. niruri. L. on HCC cells and has high content in D. longan.

Corilagin induces the apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells through the mitochondrial apoptotic and death receptor pathways

Corilagin, a gallotannin, is one of the major active components of many ethnopharmacological plants and exhibits antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. In recent years, corilagin has provoked much attention due to its antitumor activity, yet the mechanisms attributed to its anticancer actions are largely unknown. In our previous research, our group reported that corilagin could inhibit the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells by inducing G2/M phase arrest. In the present study, observation of the morphological changes showed that corilagin induced the apoptosis of HCC cells as determined by AO/EB and Hoechst 33258 staining assays. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis was carried out to calculate the apoptotic rate which was 24.1% following treatment with corilagin (37.5 µM). At the molecular level, mitochondrial membrane potential assay and western blot analysis showed that the mitochondrial transmembrane potential was reduced and the rate of release of cytochrome c was increased, which led to the activation of caspase-9, caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP in the cytoplasm indicating activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Moreover, following treatment with corilagin, we noted upregulation of Fas and FasL and activation of caspase-8 which represented activation of the death receptor pathway, and we also observed downregulation of Bcl-2 and survivin which was also attributed to the antitumor effect of corilagin. These results suggest that corilagin significantly induced the apoptosis of HCC cells through both the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and the death receptor pathway, and corilagin is a potential complementary anticancer herbal drug for HCC therapy.

Gynosaponin TN-1 producing from the enzymatic conversion of gypenoside XLVI by naringinase and its cytotoxicity on hepatoma cell lines

Gypenoside XLVI (gyp XLVI) is one of the major dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins from Gynostamma pentaphallum with glucosyls at C-3 and C-20 positions, which may constrain its bioactivities. The enzymatic conversion of gyp XLVI by naringinase, and the cytotoxicity of enzymolysis product on SMMC7721 and Bel7402 hepatoma cells were investigated. The results showed that gynosaponin TN-1 (gyp TN-1) was produced from the enzymatic conversion of gyp XLVI by naringinase. The optimum enzymolysis conditions were pH 4.2, 47.3u202f°C, and 16u202fh, with a yield of 73.44u202f±u202f6.52% for gyp TN-1. In addition, gyp TN-1 exhibited higher inhibitory activities on SMMC7721 and Bel7402 hepatoma cells than gyp XLVI. Results from methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay and acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) double staining were highly consistent. These results demonstrated that enzymatic conversion could be a promising method for producing gyp TN-1 from the biotransformation of gyp XLVI and the preparation of gyp TN-1 might provide a reference for the acquisition of novel anticancer drugs.

Corilagin from longan seed: Identification, quantification, and synergistic cytotoxicity on SKOv3ip and hey cells with ginsenoside Rh2 and 5-fluorouracil

Corilagin content from different parts of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) was determined by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method. Additionally, the potential synergistic effects of corilaginxa0+xa0ginsenoside Rh2 (Rh2), and corilagin + 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on ovarian cancer cells, and cancer-preventing activities, including inhibition of tyrosinase, properties of antioxidant and nitrite-scavenging, and blocking of nitrosamine synthesis were investigated. The results showed the content of corilagin from different parts of longan varied widely, while corilagin content in longan seed was high with a value of 542.15xa0±xa010.30xa0μg/g. Then the corilagin from longan seed was chosen for further study, since longan seed was easily obtained from by-product of longan fruit processing with low cost. Furthermore, the combinations of corilaginxa0+xa0Rh2, and corilagin + 5-FU showed an increased synergistic cytotoxicity on SKOv3ip and Hey cells. Moreover, corilagin inhibited exhibited effects of inhibiting tyrosinase, antioxidation, scavenging nitrite and blocking nitrosamine synthesis.

Corilagin, a promising medicinal herbal agent

Corilagin, a gallotannin, is one of the major active components of many ethnopharmacological plants. It was isolated from Caesalpinia coriaria (Jacq.) Willd. (dividivi) by Schmidt in 1951 for the first time. In the past few decades, corilagin was reported to exhibit anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities, etc. However, little attention was paid to its pharmacological properties due to the complicated and inefficient extract method. In recent years, with the development of extraction technology corilagin was much easier to obtain than before. Thus, people return to pay attention to its anti-tumor, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory activities, particularly as an anti-tumor agent candidate. Our research team had focused on the distribution, preparation and anti-tumor activity of corilagin since 2005. We found corilagin showed good anti-tumor activity on hepatocellular carcinoma and ovarian cancer. Whats more, corilagin showed a low level of toxicity toward normal cells and tissues. Due to the extensive attention that corilagin has received, we present a systematic review of the pharmacological effects of corilagin. In this review, we summarized all the pharmacological effects of corilagin with a focus on the molecular mechanism of anti-tumor activity and show you how corilagin affected the signaling pathways of tumor cells as well as its physicochemical properties, distribution and preparation methods.