Positive Health Online

Abstract

DONG and colleagues, Deaprtment of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong researched the mode of action and antitumour activities upon human leukemia cells of ingredients isolated from Chinese medicinal herbs.

Background

Methodology

Results

Coriolus versicolor polysaccharide peptide (CVP) and bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids tetrandrine (TET) and berbamine (BER), which are the active ingredients isolated from Chinese medicinal herbs known to possess antitumour activities, inhibited proliferation of human leukemic HL-60 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. CVP did not affect the growth of normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL); however TET produced concentration-dependent cytotoxic effects. CVP did not affect the morphological features of HL-60 cells nor cause DNA fragmentation, but TET and BER caused cell shrinkage along with formation of apoptotic bodies as well as clear evidence of DNA fragmentation.

Conclusion

: TET and BER, but not CVP, inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells by causing induction of apoptosis .

References

Dong Y et al. In vitro inhibition of proliferation of HL-60 cells by tetrandrine and coriolus versiculor peptide derived from Chinese medicinal herbs. Life Sci 60(8): PL135-40. 1997.

Comment

It is exceedingly heartening to read this research indicating that the anti-tumour mode of Chinese herbs is being researched at the molecular level, such that the results indicate that these compounds cause the death of human leukemia cells.