[In vivo anti-tumor effect and in vitro anti-angiogenic effect of alcohol extract from Euphorbia prostrata].

The study was designed to investigate the anti-tumor and anti-angiogenic effects of alcohol extract from Euphorbia prostrata. The alcohol extract of E. prostrata was prepared, and the tolerated dosage was determined in mice by the test for acute toxicity. Then, MTT method was used to study the anti-proliferation effect of E. prostrata on normal cells and tumor cells. The rat aortic endothelial cells(RAECs) were primarily cultured. Subsequently, in vitro cell proliferation, migration and tubule formation assays were performed to detect the effect of alcohol extract of E. prostrata on proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the protein expressions of Akt, p-Akt, eNOS, p-eNOS, TGF-ß1 and Smad3 in RAECs treated with E. prostrata. In addition, an in vivo transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma model in nude mice was established to detect nude mass, tumor volume and tumor weight. The contents of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and the platelet-derived growth factor-BB(PDGF-BB) in blood serum were detected by using ELISA kits. HE staining was performed to study the morphology of tumor tissues. The tolerated dosage of alcohol extract of E. prostrata in mice was 94.29 g•kg⁻¹. Alcohol extract of E. prostrata showed no inhibitory effect on L6 cells, but significantly inhibited the proliferations of HepG-2, PC12, A549, and Hela cells with the following order： HepG-2>Hela>PC12>A549. Meanwhile, alcohol extract of E. prostrata markedly inhibited the proliferation, migration and tube formation of RAECs, and enhanced the expressions of phosphorylated Akt and eNOS and increased the expressions of TGF-ß1 and Smad3. In addition, E. prostrata notably inhibited the tumor growth in mice, and decreased the amount of VEGF, but increased the amount of PDGF-BB factor in serum of nude mice. The alcohol extract of E. prostrata may show an inhibitory effect on tumor growth and angiogenesis, which may contribute to its anti-tumor effect.

Vasodilatory effects and underlying mechanisms of the ethyl acetate extracts from Gastrodia elata.

The objective of this study was to assess the ethyl acetate extracts of Gastrodia elata Blume (GEB) on vascular tone and the mechanisms involved. GEB was extracted with 95% EtOH followed by a further extraction with ethyl acetate. The effects of GEB and its ingredients on the isometric tensions of the aortic rings from rats were measured. The ethyl acetate extract of GEB induced a vasodilatory effect on rat aorta, which was partially dependent on endothelium. Four chemical compounds isolated from GEB were identified as 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (DB), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (HB), 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol (MA), and 4,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl methane (DM), respectively. All of these compounds induced vasodilatations, which were dependent on the endothelium to different degrees. After pretreatment with Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, indomethacin, or methylene blue, the vasodilatations induced by DB, HB, and MA were significantly decreased. In addition, the contractions of the rat aortic rings due to Ca2+ influx and intracellular Ca2+ release were also inhibited by DM. Furthermore, the administration of DB significantly enhanced the productions of nitric oxide (NO) and the activities of the endothelial NO synthase in aorta and in endothelial cells. Thus, GEB may play an important role in the amelioration of hypertension by modulating vascular tones.