Methanolic extract of Pterocarpus santalinus induces apoptosis in HeLa cells.

Ptercarpus santalinus (Fabaceae) has been used as a folk remedy in Korea, and it has been shown to exhibit antiinflammations, antiulcers and anticancer effects. In this study, therefore, we report the cytotoxic activity and the mechanism of cell death exhibited by the methanol extract of Ptercarpus santalinus (MEPS) against human cervical adenocarcinoma cell line, HeLa. Treatment of HeLa cells with various concentrations of MEPS resulted in growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner as determined by cell viability, chromatin condensation, DNA fragmentation and sub-G1 phase accumulation. In Western blot analysis, apoptosis in the HeLa cells was associated with the release of cytochrome C from mitochondria into the cytosol, activation of caspases-3, -8, -9 and proteolytic cleavage of PARP. These results suggest that MEPS exhibits antiproliferative effect on HeLa cells via apoptosis, and it may be a potential candidate in field of anticancer drug discovery.

Molecular authentication of Panax ginseng species by RAPD analysis and PCR-RFLP.

In order to develop convenient and reproducible methods for the identification of ginseng drugs at a DNA level, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analyses were applied within Panax species. To authenticate Panax ginseng among ginseng populations, RAPD analysis was carried out using a 20 mer-random primer. The similarity coefficients among the DNA of ginseng plants analyzed were low, ranging from 0.197 to 0.491. In addition, by using PCR-RFLP analysis, very different fingerprints were obtained within Korean ginseng plants. These results suggest that these methods are able to authenticate the concerned Panax species. Broader application of this approach to authenticate other morphologically similar medicinal materials is rationalized.

Immune-stimulating properties of polysaccharides from Phellodendri cortex (Hwangbek).

Heteropolysaccarides were isolated from the Korean medicinal plant, Phellodendri cortex (Hwangbek), by hot water and alkali extractions. The extracted polysaccharides were fractionated into eight fractions and they are mainly composed of D-N-acetylglucosamine, D-galactose, D-mannose, and D-glucose. Among the polysaccharide fractions, Fr.-2 showed a potent B-lymphocyte-stimulating activity in a system using polyclonal antibody forming cells in C57BL/6XC3H mice at dosages of 2-10 mg. On the basis of their solubility in aqueous ethanol, four fractions of Fr.-2-1 to Fr.-2-4 were further obtained from the Fr.-2, and Fr.-2-3 was divided into Fr.-2-3-1, 2, 3, and 4 by DEAE cellulose chromatography. The main activity was found in Fr.-2-3-2, which contained 100% (w/w) of carbohydrates and further purified to Fr.-2-3-2-2 by gel filtration chromatography using TSK Gel HW50S. Fr.-2-3-2-2, having a molecular weight of about 230 kDa, showed the highest B-cell-stimulating activity and the half-maximal concentration for B-lymphocyte-stimulating activity was ca. 2.2 microg/ml.

Production of methyl 3-oxoartemisinate from methyl artemisinate by suspension cell culture of Mentha piperita.

Methyl artemisinate was fed to the suspension cell culture of Mentha piperita. The biotransformation product was isolated and identified as a novel compound, methyl 3-oxoartemisinate. The Mentha cells were apparently capable of extensively oxidizing at the allylic C-3 position, to give rise to an oxo group. The conversion of the fed methyl ester of the acid reached a maximum in 48 h with 5.5% conversion. The physicochemical data of the oxo compound are presented.