clivorine and thiazolyl-blue

Clivorine, a pyrrolizidine alkaloid extracted from Chinese medicinal plant Ligularia hodgsonii Hook significantly inhibited human normal liver L-02 cells proliferation and decreased L-02 cells viability. The results of western blot showed that clivorine strongly evoked phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) Kinase in L-02 cells, but had no effect on extracellular signal-related kinases MAP Kinase phosphorylation. Moreover, another pyrrolizidine alkaloid monocrotaline had no effect on phosphorylation of p38 MAP Kinase in L-02 cells. These studies document the effects of pyrrolizidine alkaloid clivorine on the MAPK cascade and on the growth of human normal liver L-02 cells for the first time, which may be a possible reason for the toxic effects observed in those plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

Topics: Blotting, Western; Cell Division; Cell Survival; Enzyme Activation; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; HeLa Cells; Humans; Liver; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Monocrotaline; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; Tetrazolium Salts; Thiazoles; Time Factors