Anti-tumor effect of synthetic baicalin-rare earth metal complex drugs on SMMC-7721 cells

Baicalin (BC)-rare earth metal complexes [BMCs (BC-Ce, BC-La, and BC-Y)] were synthesized by a complexation coordination method. A mouse tumor model with SMMC-7721 cells was used to examine BMCs for their anti-tumor activities in vivo. The results show that the three new BMCs, Na₃Ce (C₂₁H₁₆O₁₁)₃·10H₂O, Na₂La (C₂₁H₁₆O₁₁)₂·8H₂O, and Na₂Y (C₂₁H₁₆O₁₁)₂·6H₂O significantly inhibited SMMC-7721 cell proliferation, since the BMCs may induce the tumor apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner through decreasing cell membrane fluidity and mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization, blocking of the cell cycle at the G₂/M phase, and increasing the expression of Bax and reducing the expression of Bcl-2. The effectiveness order of these three BCMs was as follows: BC-Ce > BC-La > BC-Y > BC. It is concluded that BC-Ce, BC-La, and BC-Y possess potent anti-tumor effects and may be a novel group of anti-tumor drugs. The novel baicalin-rare earth metal complexes (BMC) were synthesized, the anti-tumor effects of the BMC on SMMC-7721 cell analyzed comprehensively.

Keywords: Baicalin; Cancer; Flow cytometry; Rare earth element.