• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.751-758
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• 2003

In our previous studies, we reported that Selaginella Tamariscina(ST) induced apoptotic cell death in HL-60 cells selectively. The cell viability after treatment with extract of ST was quantified by MTT assay and trypan bleu exclusion method. The results showed that application with ST in HL-60 induced 40% cell death at the concentration of 400 ㎍/ml. The cancericidic effect of Selaginella Tamariscina was mediated by apoptosis. Thus, HL-60 cells exposed to Selaginella Tamariscina displayed the DNA fragmentation ladder and nucleus chromatin condensation characteristic for apoptosis. The enzyme activity of caspase-3 and actived caspase-3 protein were markedly increased in HL-60 cells treated with the extract of Selaginella Tamariscina. In addition, the extract of Selaginella Tamariscina induced cleavage of PARP, a known substrate for caspase-3. The expression of Bcl-2, anti-apoptotic protein, was decreased by treatment of the aqueous extract of Selaginella Tamariscina in a dose-dependent manner. And the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax protein was increased. In conclusion, our results suggest that the extract of Selaginella Tamariscina may induce the apoptotic death of HL-60 cells via activation of caspase-3, cleavage of PARP protein, depletion of cellular ATP levels and Bcl-2 degradation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1190-1196
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• 2002

Selaginella Tamariscina is widely used in the traditional oriental herbal medicine for its anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer effects. The effects of aqueous extracts of Selaginella Tamariscina (ST) on the cell viability and induction of apoptotic cell death were investigated in A549, Raw 264.7, C6-glioma. Jurkat and HL-60 cells. The cell viability after treating with extract of Selaginella Tamariscina was quantified by MTT assay method. The results showed that ST decreased the cell viability in HL-60 and Jurkat cells not in A549, Raw 264.7 and C6-glioma cells. And we also observed the chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation in HL-60 and Jurkat cells. The enzyme activity of caspase-3, tightly regulated by an apoptosis activating complex, were markedly increased in HL-60 cells treated with the ST by dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, our results suggest that the extract of Selaginella Tamariscina may induce the selective apoptotic cell death in HL-60 and Jurkat cells via activation of caspase-3.