tribulus and Liver-Neoplasms

A medicinal herb Tribulus terrestris Linn has been used to treat various diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anticancer activity of Tribulus terrestris Linn (TT) in liver cancer cells.. The antitumor activity of aqueous TT extract was analyzed by testing the cytotoxicity and the effect on clonogenecity in HepG2 cells. Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest induced by TT were dissected by flow cytometry and its inhibitory effect on NF-κB activity was determined by analyzing the expression levels of NF-κB/IκB subunit proteins. The suppression of NF-κB-regulated gene expression by TT was assessed by RT-PCR.. TT extract repressed clonogenecity and proliferation, induced apoptosis, and enhanced accumulation in the G0/G1 phase of liver cancer cells. It also turned out that TT extract inhibited NF-κB-dependent reporter gene expression and NF-κB subunit p50 expression, while it enhanced the cellular level of IκBα by inhibiting the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα. In addition, IKK activity was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, TT extract suppressed the transcription of genes associated with cell cycle regulation, anti-apoptosis, and invasion.. These data showed that TT extract blocks proliferation and induces apoptosis in human liver cancer cells through the inhibition of NF-κB signaling. Aqueous TT extract can be used as an anticancer drug for hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Apoptosis; Cell Cycle; Cell Proliferation; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Down-Regulation; Gene Expression; Genes, Reporter; Hep G2 Cells; Hepatoblastoma; Humans; I-kappa B Kinase; I-kappa B Proteins; Liver Neoplasms; Neoplasm Invasiveness; NF-kappa B; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; Phosphorylation; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Signal Transduction; Tribulus; Tumor Stem Cell Assay

To investigate the inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effects of saponins from Tribulus terrestris (STT) on liver cancer cell line BEL-7402.. MTT, SRB, Wright staining, acridine orange staining, flow cytometry, and Immunofluorescence microscopy were used to evaluate the effects of STT on BEL-7402 cell line.. SMT had potent inhibitory effect on BEL-7402 cell line in a concentration-dependent manner. BEL-7402 cells exibited typical morphological alteration of apoptosis when sub-G1 peak could be seen. The expression of Bcl-2 was decreased in STT treated cells as compared with untreated control cells.. STT exerts its cytotoxic effect on BEL-7402 cells by inducing apoptosis.

Topics: Apoptosis; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Plants, Medicinal; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; Saponins; Tribulus