Planta Med 2016; 82(S 01): S1-S381
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1596350
Abstracts
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Investigation of the anticancer mechanism of compounds derived from Juncus inflexus root extract on cervical cancer cells

CY Kuo
1   Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, 80708 Kaohsiung, Taiwan
,
Z Schelz
2   Department of Pharmacodynamics and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Eötvös Utca 6, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
,
B Tóth
3   Institute of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Eötvös Utca 6, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
,
A Vasas
3   Institute of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Eötvös Utca 6, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
,
J Hohmann
3   Institute of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Eötvös Utca 6, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
,
I Zupkó
2   Department of Pharmacodynamics and Biopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Szeged, Eötvös Utca 6, H-6720 Szeged, Hungary
,
HC Wang
1   Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, 80708 Kaohsiung, Taiwan
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
14 December 2016 (online)

 

Constituents isolated from the members of Juncus genus have been shown to display many biological activities, including anti-cancer effects [1,2]. Juncus inflexus is native in the Carpathian Basin (Hungary). The anticancer activities of the extracts of this plant have yet been fully understood. In this study, nine phenanthrene compounds (JIN 1 – 9) were isolated from the Juncus inflexus root extract. These compounds were investigated for their anti-cancer activities in several cancer cell lines and non-cancerous cells (immortalized breast epithel) in vitro. Compound JIN 5 exhibited substantial antiproliferative effect against HeLa cells and exerted less pronounced action on T47D, MDA-MB-231, A2780 and non-cancerous cells. As a result JIN 5 was chosen for further investigations. Flow cytometry-based cell-cycle analysis of HeLa cells showed an increase of G2/M and sub-G1 cell population after 24 hours treatment with JIN 5. All of the determined caspases (3, 8, and 9) were activated as a consequence of JIN 5 treatment in HeLa cells. In order to confirm the possible mechanism of G2/M phase-arrest, tubulin polymerization assay was performed in vitro. Our results suggest that JIN 5 is able to inhibit the polymerization of tubulin and may be considered as a lead compound for the development of innovative anti-cancer agents.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by research grant NSC 103 – 2320-B-037 – 007-MY3 from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC and Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA K-109293). The authors acknowledge a bilateral mobility grant from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the NSC, Taiwan (NKM-113/2015 and MOST 104 – 2911-I-037 – 501).

Keywords: Juncaceae, Juncus inflexus, anticancer, cytotoxicity, G2/M arrest.

References:

[1] Su XH, Yuan ZP, Li CY, Zhong YJ, Du HJ, Wen YY, Li YF, Liang B. Phenanthrenes from Juncus effuses. Planta Med 2013; 79: 1447 – 1452

[2] Ma W, Zhang Y, Ding YY, Liu F, Li N. Cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities of phenanthrenes from the medullae of Juncus effusus L. Arch Pharm Res 2016; 39: 154 – 160