RESUMEN
The widely-used Chinese medicinal herb Hypericum japonicum, also known as Hypericum japonicum Thunb or Tianjihuang, displays potent anticarcinogenic effects against liver cancer. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of Hypericum japonicum remains to be elucidated. The present study investigated the in vivo efficacy of ethyl acetate extract of Hypericum japonicum (EAEHJ) against tumor growth in an H22 cellbearing liver cancer mouse model. Treatment with EAEHJ significantly reduced tumor weight, but had no effect on murine body weight. The results of the present study also showed that EAEHJ induced H22 cell apoptosis in vivo. In addition, the anticarcinogenic effects of EAEHJ were investigated in vitro. The results of the present study demonstrate that both phospholipid asymmetry in the plasma membrane and mitochondrial membrane potential were deregulated in HepG2 human hepatoma cells, following treatment with EAEHJ. Treatment with EAEHJ also increased the ratio of proapoptotic Bcell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2)associated X protein (Bax) to antiapoptotic Bcl2, and activated the caspase9 signaling pathway. These results suggest that EAEHJ is able to trigger the apoptosis of liver cancer cells via the mitochondria-dependent pathway.