Liver Cancer
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 21, 2006; 12(7): 1018-1024
Published online Feb 21, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i7.1018
Effects of Terminalia arjuna bark extract on apoptosis of human hepatoma cell line HepG2
Sarveswaran Sivalokanathan, Marati Radhakrishnan Vijayababu, Maruthaiveeran Periyasamy Balasubramanian
Sarveswaran Sivalokanathan, Maruthaiveeran Periyasmy Balasubramanian, Department of Pharmacology and Environmental Toxicology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai-600 113, Tamil Nadu, India
Marati Radhakrishnan Vijayababu, Department of Endocrinology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai-600 113, Tamil Nadu, India
Correspondence to: Dr. Maruthaiveeran Periyasamy Balasubramanian, Department of Pharmacology and Environmental Toxicology, Dr. ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai-600 113, Tamil Nadu, India. mpbpet@rediffmail.com
Telephone: +91-44-24925317 Fax: +91-44-24926709
Received: April 21, 2005
Revised: July 2, 2005
Accepted: July 8, 2005
Published online: February 21, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effects of Terminalia arjuna (T. arjuna) extract on human hepatoma cell line (HepG2) and its possible role in induction of apoptosis.

METHODS: Human hepatoma cells were treated with different concentrations of ethanolic extract of T. arjuna and its cytotoxicity effect was measured by trypan blue exclusion method and lactate dehydrogenase leakage assay. Apoptosis was analyzed by light and fluorescence microscopic methods, and DNA fragmentation. The mechanism of apoptosis was studied with expression of p53 and caspase-3 proteins. Glutathione (GSH) content was also measured in HepG2 cells after T. arjuna treatment.

RESULTS: T. arjuna inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Apoptotic morphology was observed in HepG2 cells treated with T. arjuna at the concentrations of 60 and 100 mg/L. DNA fragmentation, accumulation of p53 and cleavage of procaspase-3 protein were observed in HepG2 cells after the treatment with T. arjuna. The depletion of GSH was observed in HepG2 cells treated with T. arjuna.

CONCLUSION: T. arjuna induced cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells in vitro. Apoptosis of HepG2 cells may be due to the DNA damage and expression of apoptotic proteins. Depletion of GSH may be involved in the induction of apoptosis of HepG2 cells.

Keywords: Human hepatoma cell line; Terminalia arjuna; Apoptosis; p53; Caspase-3; GSH