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Aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria decreases proliferation and promotes apoptosis in human colon cancer cells in vitro
Author(s) -
Munusamy Shankar,
Eid Ali Hussein
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.639.21
Subject(s) - apoptosis , colorectal cancer , cancer , cancer research , cell growth , in vitro , medicine , cell culture , cancer cell , pharmacology , biology , biochemistry , genetics
Colon cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and women, and it is the fourth leading cause of cancer‐related deaths in the world. Epidemiological studies strongly suggest that the intake of a diet rich in vegetables and fruits is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the effects of an aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria (RC) , a popular middle eastern spice, on the cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis of HCT116 cell line, an in vitro model of colon cancer. HCT116 cells treated with RC extract showed a significant decrease in cell proliferation (42.33% in 100 μg/ml RC treated vs. 100% in vehicle‐treated group) and a marked increase in apoptosis, accompanied by 2.3 fold elevation in caspase‐3/7 activity compared to vehicle‐treated control. In addition, RC treatment was associated with a 2.2‐fold induction in E‐cadherin mRNA expression (an inhibitor of cell migration) in HCT116 cells. Together, our data indicate that RC treatment inhibits proliferation and migration, and promotes apoptosis in colon cancer cells. Further investigations are required to establish the potential therapeutic role of Rhus coriaria in colon cancer.