Apoptotic activity of ethanol extract from Styrax Japonica Siebold et al Zuccarini in HepG2 cells.

BACKGROUND

Styrax japonica Siebold et al Zuccarini (SJSZ) has been used to heal inflammation and bronchitis as an herbal plant in Korea.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present study is to determine whether the ethanol (EtOH) extract of SJSZ induces the programmed cell death (apoptosis) in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.

METHODS

It was evaluated cytotoxicity using MTT assay, amount of intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS) and Ca(2+) using fluorescence. Activities of apoptotic relevant factors [Bid, cytochrome c, caspase-9, -3, and poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)] were measured by Western blot.

RESULTS

The results in this study indicated that ethanol extract of SJSZ (75 microg/ml) stimulates to increase amount of iROS, Ca(2+), and the apoptotic relevant factors [Bid, cytochrome c, caspase-9, -3, and poly-(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in the HepG2 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The results in this study indicated that ethanol extract of SJSZ (75 microg/ml) induces programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the HepG2 cells. Therefore, we speculate that ethanol extract of SJSZ could be used for healing of hepatocarcinoma as one of chemotherapeutic agents.