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Danggui Buxue Tang – A Chinese herbal decoction activates the phosphorylations of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase and estrogen receptor α in cultured MCF‐7 cells
Author(s) -
Gao Qiu T.,
Choi Roy C.Y.,
Cheung Anna W.H.,
Zhu Judy T.T.,
Li Jun,
Chu Glanice K.Y.,
Duan Ran,
Cheung Jerry K.H.,
Jiang Zhi Y.,
Dong Xiao B.,
Zhao Kui J.,
Dong Tina T.X.,
Tsim Karl W.K.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.12.018
Subject(s) - decoction , phosphorylation , estrogen receptor , extracellular , kinase , estrogen , chemistry , pharmacology , signal transduction , traditional medicine , mcf 7 , medicine , biochemistry , cancer , cancer cell , human breast , breast cancer
Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT), a Chinese herbal decoction used to treat ailments in women, contains Radix Astragali (Huangqi; RA) and Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Danggui; RAS). The weight ratio of RA to RAS used in DBT must be 5:1 as stipulated as early as AD 1247; however, DBT's mechanism of action has never been described. Here, the estrogenic effects of DBT were investigated by determining the phosphorylations of estrogen receptor α (ERα) and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) in cultured MCF‐7 cells. The application of DBT triggered the phosphorylation of ERα and Erk1/2 in a time‐dependent manner. In contrast to the effect of estrogen, DBT triggered ERα phosphorylation at both S118 and S167. This DBT‐specific phosphorylation was not triggered by an extract of one of the individual herbs, or by mixing the extracts of RA and RAS. DBT‐induced downstream signals are described here. These signals suggest the uniqueness of this Chinese herbal decoction that requires a well‐defined formulation.