Planta Med 2011; 77 - PF44
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1282432

Study of apoptosis induction effects of traditional remedies and quality control strategies

T Ho Huynh 1, T Nguyen 1, H Nguyen Thai 1, T Nguyen 2, T Nguyen 1, N Tran 1
  • 1Department of Genetics, University of Science, 227 Nguyen Van Cu St., Dist. 5, Ho Chi Minh City, 70000, Vietnam
  • 2Department of Genetics, University of Education, 280 An Duong Vuong St., Ho Chi Minh City, 70000, Vietnam

Traditional medicine is an important part of health care system in Vietnam [1]. Nevertheless, lack of scientific and therapeutic evidences as well as quality control system limit its development. Many anticancer products used in cancer therapy act by inducing apoptosis in cancer cells [2]. In addition to chromatographic analysis with standard compounds, biological response fingerprinting are suggested for quality control of traditional formulations [3].

We investigated five traditional remedies reported in traditional pharmacopoeia as having anticancer effects. We determined apoptosis inducing capacity and cell cycle arrest of these remedies and their components on HeLa cells by DNA fragmentation assay, fluorescence microscopy, caspase activity assay and flow cytometry-based method. We showed that the modified remedy „Hoang Lien Giai Doc Thang“ (HLGDT) caused cell death by inducing apoptosis, independently of caspase-3 activation. Three components, Coptis sinensis Franch, Scutellaria baicalensis George and Phellodendron amurense Rupr have higher cytotoxicity than the whole remedy on HeLa cells. Microarray data analysis performed on HeLa cells treated with HLGDT for 24 and 36 hours showed differenzial, increased or decreased, expression of 408 genes. Some overexpressed genes – DDIT3, TRIB3, FAM129A, STC2, GDF15, SERPINE2 were reported as involved in ER-stress. Expression level of these genes was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR.

Real-time RT-PCR amplification of these genes are furtherused to set up biological fingerprints. Baicalin and berberin were used as chemical fingerprints through chromatographic analysis. These fingerprints could be considered for quality control purposes of the remedy.

Acknowledgement: These work was supported by grants from the Department of Science and Technology – Ho Chi Minh City. We are grateful to Prof. Sangho Lee and the Microarray platform from Sungkyunkwan University for microarray analysis

References: 1. WHO (2002). WHO traditional medicine strategy 2002–2005.

2. Fulda S (2010) Planta Med 76(11): 1075–9

3. Chavan P, Joshi K, & Patwardhan B (2006) eCAM: 1–11