• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.72-79
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• 2022

Licochalcone H (LCH) is a phenolic compound synthetically derived from licochalcone C (LCC) that exerts anticancer activity. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of LCH in human skin cancer A375 and A431 cells. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) cell viability assay was used to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of LCH. Cell cycle distribution and the induction of apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. Western blotting assays were performed to detect the levels of proteins involved in cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. LCH inhibited the growth of cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. The annexin V/propidium iodide double staining assay revealed that LCH induced apoptosis, and the LCH-induced apoptosis was accompanied by cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Western blot analysis showed that the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 was decreased by treatment with LCH. The inhibition of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway by pharmacological inhibitors against JAK2/STAT3 (cryptotanshinone (CTS) and S3I-201) simulated the antiproliferative effect of LCH suggesting that LCH induced apoptosis by modulating JAK2/STAT3 signaling.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.180-186
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• 2009

Whole plants of Vitex rotundifolia were extracted for 2 days with methylene chloride ($CH_2Cl_2$) followed by extraction of the residue for an additional 2 days. The same procedure was also applied using methanol (MeOH). The two crude extracts were combined and partitioned between $CH_2Cl_2$ and $H_2O$. The organic layer was further partitioned between n-hexane and 85% aq. MeOH, and the aqueous layer was also further fractionated with n-BuOH and $H_2O$, successively. From the 85% aq. MeOH fraction, one compound was isolated through the repeated HPLC. According to the results of physicochemical data including NMR and MS, the chemical structure of the compound was determined as artemetin (1). The antiproliferative effects of the crude extracts, fractions, and compound against HT1080, AGS, MCF-7 and HT-29 human cancer cells were compared with the control by using MTT assay. In the comparative analysis, the 85% aq. MeOH fraction exhibited the strongest antiproliferative effects on human cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). In addition, exposure of compound 1 isolated from 85% aq. MeOH fraction led to strong antiproliferative effect in HT1080 cancer cell lines. These results suggest that the extracts and compound isolated from V. rotundifolia may be used as potential chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.3 s.55
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• pp.190-197
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• 1999

In this study, the molecular mechanism of the growth inhibitory effect of panaxynol was investigated in a human malignant melanoma cell line, SK-MEL-l. In the cell cycle analysis, panaxynol arrested cell cycle progression of SK-MEL-I at the G1 phase. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that panaxynol increased $p21^{WAF1}$ and decreased cdc2 expression. Protein levels of pl6, p27, E2F-1, Rb, and p53 were not changed. Thus, the changes in expression levels of $p21^{WAF1}$ and cdc2 apparently mediate the cell cycle arrest caused by panaxynol. In addition, cycloheximide (CHX) partially reversed the growth inhibition by panaxynol, which suggested that new protein synthesis was required. On the other hand, LLnL, a proteasome inhibitor, increased antiproliferative effect of panaxynol. This may be due to stabilization of the protein(s) responsible for the growth inhibition such as $p21^{WAF1}$. In summary, these results demonstrate that panaxynol inhibits proliferation of SK-MEL-I by inducing cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase and the inhibitory effect is mediated by the increased level of $p21^{WAF1}$ as well as decreased cdc2 expression.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.163-168
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• 1998

Inhibitory effect of indole oligomers induced from indole-3-carbinol(I3C) on the growth of breast cancer cells was studied. We gernerated the reaction mixtures (RXM) at ambient temperature by treating a stirred aqueous solution of I3C (typeically 0.25ml) at a concentration of 12 $\mu$mol/ml) with hydrochloric acid (typically 28$\mu$l of a 1 mmol/ml solution). RXM was fractionated by the column chromatography. The fractions with similar UV-pattern were further fractionated by HPLC and 3.3'-diindoylmethane (DIM) and other indole oligomers were identified. I3C, RXM, and it derived indole compounds were added to MCF-7 cells and cultured in the presence of 10-7M estradiol for 7 days. the growth-inhibitory effect of I3C and DIM on the growth of MCF-7 cell was very strong. The synthetic DIM also revealed antiproliferative effect on MCF-7 cel. The fractions containing high DIM content (77%), were most effective in inhibiting MCF-7 cell growth induced by estradiol. With these results, we suggest that I3C and DIM might have anticarcinogenic effect on the breast cancer.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.263-267
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• 2000

The cytotoxic and antitumor activity of 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin D (dhc D) isolated from Bryonia alba L. was examined. Our results showed that dhc D strongly inhibited the viability of the cultured cancer cells, A-549, COLO 205, SK-MEL-2, and L121O. It also exhibited effective antitumor activity in ICR mice, which had been intra peritoneally implanted with sarcoma 180 ascites tumor cells. The dhc D also strongly inhibited the viability of immortalized macrophages RAW 264.7, but not normal peritoneal macrophages. These results indicate that dhc D has antiproliferative effect on cancer cells and it may more sensitive on immortalized cells than normal cells.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1042-1045
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• 2009

A commercial propolis was investigated in terms of its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiproliferative activities. The contents of total phenol and flavonoid of propolis were 8.3 and 6.6 mg, respectively. The reducing power of the propolis increased with concentration increasing. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity was shown at 82.70% in 1,000 ${\mu}g/mL$ of the propolis. 2,2'-Azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging effect of antioxidant activity on the propolis was 35.64 g/sample. The propolis showed high antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus at all concentration of propolis. All of the cancer cell lines have 53-73% as effective growth inhibition. These results showed that the commercial propolis has potential antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cancer cell proliferative inhibition activities thus, propolis can be applied to the functional food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industry.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.221-226
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• 2012

Curcumin, a polyphenol responsible for the yellow color of the curry spice turmeric, possesses antiinflammatory, antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activities. However, anticoagulant activities of curcumin have not been studied. Here, the anticoagulant properties of curcumin and its derivative (bisdemethoxycurcumin, BDMC) were determined by monitoring activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT) as well as cell-based thrombin and activated factor X (FXa) generation activities. Data showed that curcumin and BDMC prolonged aPTT and PT significantly and inhibited thrombin and FXa activities. They inhibited the generation of thrombin or FXa. In accordance with these anticoagulant activities, curcumin and BDMC showed anticoagulant effect in vivo. Surprisingly, these anticoagulant effects of curcumin were better than those of BDMC indicating that methoxy group in curcumin positively regulated anticoagulant function of curcumin. Therefore, these results suggest that curcumin and BDMC possess antithrombotic activities and daily consumption of the curry spice turmeric might help maintain anticoagulant status.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.552-555
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• 2009

This study investigated the proapoptotic effect of ethanol extracts obtained from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) flower on human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 cells. Cells were treated with dandelion flowers ethanol extract (DFE) ranging from 1.5625 to $100{\mu}g/mL$ for 24 hr. Significant antiproliferative effects of DFE were first observed from at $6.25{\mu}g/mL$ (p<0.05), and this inhibition showed in a dose-dependent manner. When cells were treated with more than $6.25{\mu}g/mL$ DFE, cell-cycle analysis showed that DFE caused an increase in the percentage of sub-G0/G1 cells and arrested at the S and G2/M phase in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, apoptosis induction by DFE involved p53 activation and bax upregulation as well as downregulation of bcl-2. Our findings indicate that DFE resulted in apoptotic cell death, suggesting that DFE possesses potential anticancer properties.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1253-1257
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• 2004

6-Methoxydihydrosanguinarine (6ME), a benzophenanthridine alkaloid derived from the methanol extracts of Hylomecon hylomeconoides, showed a dose-dependent effect at 1-10 ${\mu}M$ on causing apoptotic cell death in HT29 colon carcinoma cells $(IC_{50} = 5.0{\pm}0.2 {\mu}M)$. Treatment of HT-29 cells with 6ME resulted in the formation of internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. Treatment of the cells with 6ME caused activation of caspase-3, -8 and 9 protease and subsequent proteolytic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase. 6ME increased the expression of p53 and Bax and decreased the expression of Bid. These results indicate that p53 and proapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins might participate in the antiproliferative activity of 6ME in HT29 cells.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.363-368
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• 2006

EGCG [(-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate], a major component of green tea has been considered as a major antioxidant constituent. In addition to having been considered for cancer treatment as a chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agent, EGCG has recently been attributed an anti-proliferative effect. We re-examined the latter finding in this study and added specific focus on the ability of EGCG to induce apoptosis in human osteogenic sarcoma (HOS) cells. Antiproliferative action of EGCG $(IC_{50}=35.3{\pm}6.0{\mu}g/mL)$ appeared to be linked to apoptotic cell death based on morphological changes, chromosomal DNA degradation, and an increase in the $sub-G_1$ apoptotic cell population. Treatment of HOS cells with EGCG gradually activated caspase-3, an established inducer of apoptotic cell death.