Planta Med 2013; 79 - PN58
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1352401

Enhancing effect of Thevetia peruviana flower extract on trail induced apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells

C Managit 1, H Sakurai 2, I Saiki 3
  • 1Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakhonnayok, Thailand
  • 2Department of Cancer Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
  • 3Division of Pathogenic Biochemistry, Institute of Natural Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potent stimulator of apoptosis. However, many cancer cells remain resistant to TRAIL. Currently, there is much interest in screening for natural products that can sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis for their use in combination with TRAIL. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of ethanolic extracts on TRAIL induced apoptosis in human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells by determinations of cell viability and apoptosis using WST-1 cell proliferating assay and immunoblot analysis, respectively. Pretreatment of HeLa cells with various concentrations (3 – 300 µg/mL) of flower ethanolic extracts of T. peruviana enhanced TRAIL induced antiproliferation in HeLa cells. Extracts at concentration of 10, 30, 100 and 300 µg/mL together with TRAIL significantly decreased viability of HeLa cells compared to that treated only with TRAIL. Compared to HeLa cells treated with T. peruviana extract alone, only extract at concentration of 10 µg/mL together with TRAIL strongly decreased cancer cell viability. The extract at concentration of 10 µg/mL strongly promoted TRAIL induced cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP-1. The results suggested that ethanolic extracts from flowers of Thevetia peruviana show an enhancing effect on TRAIL induced apoptosis in HeLa cells by activation of the caspase cascade.