Inhibition activity of Scutellariae barbata extracts against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the inhibition effect of Scutellariae barbata extracts on the proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line QGY-7701.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The inhibition activity of the extracts against cell line QGY-7701 was estimated by MTT assay. Morphologic changes of the cells were observed under light microscope and electronic microscope. Cell cycle distribution, cell apoptosis and expressions of apoptosis-associated genes as Bcl-2, Bax and Fas were analyzed by flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Extracts of Scutellariae barbata could inhibit the proliferation of QGY-7701. When treated with the extracts for 72 h, cells at the early stage of apoptosis showed morphologic changes, apoptotic cells increased, cells at G0/G1 phase decreased and those at G2/M phase increased, the expression of Bax significantly up-regulated and that of Bcl-2 down-regulated with no change in Fas gene.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The extracts of Scutellariae barbata inhibit the proliferation of QGY-7701, which may relate to the activation of anti-oncogene Bcl-2, induction of cell apoptosis and inhibition of G to S phase cell cycle progress.</p>