Antiproliferation and cell apoptosis inducing bioactivities of constituents from Dysosma versipellis in PC3 and Bcap-37 cell lines

Fifteen compounds were isolated and characterized from the roots of Dysosma versipellis, among which six compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. The inhibitory activities of these compounds were investigated on tumor cells PC3, Bcap-37 and BGC-823 in vitro by MTT method, and the results showed that podophyllotoxone (PTO) and 4'-demethyldeoxypodophyllotoxin (DDPT) had potent inhibitory activities against the growth of human carcinoma cell lines. Subsequent fluorescence staining and flow cytometry analysis indicated that these two compounds could induce apoptosis in PC3 and Bcap-37 cells, and the apoptosis ratios reached the peak (12.0% and 14.1%) after 72 h of treatment at 20 μM, respectively.This study suggests that most of the compounds from the roots of D. versipellis could inhibit the growth of human carcinoma cells. In addition, PTO and DDPT could induce apoptosis of tumor cells.Cancer is the major cause of human deaths worldwide because of its high incidence and mortality. Thousands of people die of cancer each year despite aggressive treatment regimens that include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Due to the infiltrative nature and the rapid recurrence of the malignant tumor, complete surgical resection of these tumors is typically not achieved [1,2], and the conventional radiation and chemotherapy are often intolerable due to the strong systemic toxicity and local irritation [3-5]. These factors highlight the urgent need for new therapies or therapeutic combinations to improve the survival and quality of life of cancer patients.In recent years, interest in phytochemicals from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs has been growing rapidly due to their ability to inhibit the growth and proliferation of cancer cells [6-9]. Due to their nontoxic nature, they are often employed in medical applications. Among of them, flavonoids and lignans present in traditional Chinese medicines have been revealed having significant activities against som