Scutellarein from Scutellaria barbata induces apoptosis of human colon cancer HCT116 cells through the ROS-mediated mitochondria-dependent pathway

To search novel therapy for human colon cancer, scutellarein identified from Scutellaria barbata was investigated using HCT116 cells. As a result, scutellarein can induce apoptosis of HCT116 cells. Further investigation for the mechanism has revealed scutellarein can increase the production of intracellular ROS and lead to the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential. Meanwhile, the activity of caspase-3 in HCT116 cells was elevated by scutellarein. Moreover, down-regulated Bcl-2 and up-regulated Bax were observed. Additionaly, scutellarein resulted in cytochrome c release from mitochondria. These results indicated the apoptosis induction of HCT116 cells by scutellarein was implemented through ROS-mediated mitochondria-dependent pathway.     

Prenylated flavonoids and dihydrophenanthrenes from the leaves of Epimedium brevicornu and their cytotoxicity against HepG2 cells

Phytochemical study on the leaves of Epimedium brevicornu finally led to the isolation of four prenylated flavonoids (1–4) and three dihydrophenanthrenes (5–7), of which 1, 2, 5 and 7 were new compounds. The structures of these compounds were established mainly by spectroscopic techniques, including NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. These isolates exhibited the cytotoxic activities against HepG2 cells with the IC₅₀ values of 32.8–87.3 μM.     

Isolation,structural elucidation and cytotoxicity evaluation of a new pentahydroxy-pimarane diterpenoid along with other chemical constituents from Aerva lanata

Aervalanata possesses various useful medicinal and pharmaceutical activities. Phytochemical investigation of the plant has now led to the isolation of a new 2α,3α,15,16,19-pentahydroxy pimar-8(14)-ene diterpenoid (1) together with 12 other known compounds identified as β-sitosterol (2), β-sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (3), canthin-6-one (4), 10-hydroxycanthin-6-one (aervine, 5), 10-methoxycanthin-6-one (methylaervine, 6), β-carboline-1-propionic acid (7), 1-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(2S,3R,8E)-2-[(2′R)-2-hydroxylpalmitoylamino]-8-octadecene-1,3-diol (8), 1-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-(2S,3S,4R,8Z)-2-[(2′R)-2′-hydroxytetracosanoylamino]-8(Z)-octadene-1,3,4-triol (9), (2S,3S,4R,10E)-2-[(2′R)-2′-hydroxytetracosanoylamino]-10-octadecene-1,3,4-triol (10), 6′-O-(4″-hydroxy-trans-cinnamoyl)-kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (tribuloside, 11), 3-cinnamoyltribuloside (12) and sulfonoquinovosyldiacylglyceride (13). Among these, six compounds (8–13) are reported for the first time from this plant. Cytotoxicity evaluation of the compounds against five cancer cell lines (CHO, HepG2, HeLa, A-431 and MCF-7) shows promising IC₅₀ values for compounds 4, 6 and 12.