Salidroside inhibits proliferation, migration and invasion of human pancreatic cancer PANC1 and SW1990 cells through the AKT and ERK signaling pathway

Salidroside is the main compounds extracted from the Chinese medicine Rhodiola rosea and has many pharmacological effects, including anti-tumor effects. However, the role of salidroside in human pancreatic cancer remains poorly known. Thus, the focus of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of purified salidroside on human pancreatic cancer cells and its underlying molecular mechanisms. PANC1 and SW1990 cells were incubated with various concentrations of salidroside, and CCK-8 assay, colony formation, apoptosis, migration and invasion, western blot were conducted. As a result, it was found that salidroside significantly inhibited pancreatic cancer cells viability, proliferation, migration and invasion, and also induced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we also detected that salidroside inhibited pancreatic cancer cells by downregulating the AKT and ERK signaling pathways. In conclusion, these findings suggest that salidroside may be a promising candidate for the development of a therapy of human pancreatic cancer.