Abstract
In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most frequent malignancy and the fourth most common cause of cancer death. Baicalin, a flavone derivative isolated and purified from the dry root of Scutellaria, was assessed for its antitumor effects in human SW620 CRC cells. Baicalin (200 μM) inhibited proliferation of SW620 cells. Baicalin (200 μM) increased activities of caspase-3, -8, and -9 in SW620 cells. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis of baicalin-treated SW620 cells showed an increase in sub-G1 cells, and the dihydroethidium assay showed significant enhancement of intracellular peroxide production in baicalin-treated cells. Addition of N-acetylcysteine prevented most of the baicalin-induced apoptosis, which in turn mediated cytotoxicity in human SW620 cells. In vivo, baicalin (50 mg/kg/day, i.p.) treatment inhibited 55% of tumor growth in xenografted nude mice by 4 weeks, compared to that of the vehicle control (p < 0.05). Baicalin had no noteworthy influence on body weight. Thus, we suggest the development of baicalin as a potential leading antitumor agent in CRC.
Highlights
Colon cancer is diagnosed on approximately 1.2 million people worldwide and causes approximately600,000 deaths annually [1,2]
The effect of various concentrations of baicalin on the cell viability of SW620 cells was examined at 24 h by using MTT assays
Nuclear condensation, which is characteristic of apoptosis, was observed with DAPI staining (Figure 2C)
Summary
Colon cancer is diagnosed on approximately 1.2 million people worldwide and causes approximately. 600,000 deaths annually [1,2]. Risk factors linked to colorectal carcinoma (CRC) reflect common lifestyle choices and include diet, exercise, and obesity. To state that it is primarily a lifestyle disease would be too much of a generalization [3]. CRC are low, despite current treatments such as surgical excision, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy [4]. Novel therapeutic agents that target additional mechanisms in CRC carcinogenesis are needed. Scutellaria is a remedial plant, whose dried roots are used in numerous Asian countries for various illnesses such as inflammatory diseases, allergy, diarrhea, hepatitis, and malignant tumors [5,6,7,8,9,10]
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