Essential oils of Curcuma spp. induce apoptosis of human lung cancer cells

• Main Authors: Yi-Ting His, 洗藝庭
• Other Authors: 高振益
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/12174213573559190940

碩士 === 國立中興大學 === 生物化學研究所 === 100 === Curcuma spp., the perennial herbs originally from tropical and subtropical area of the south Asia, belong to Zingiberaceae family. Agricultural research bureau of U.S.A. enumerates the biological activities of Curcuma plants, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor properties, liver protection, lowering blood glucose, immunity stimulation, inhibiting microorganisms and resisting influenza virus attacks, etc..However, because of different species and different cultivated conditions, there would have variations in small molecular ingredient distributions and biological functions within Curcuma plants. The purposes of this research aim to evaluate the antitumor activity and the corresponding signal pathways of essential oils, extracted from cultivated plants of Curcuma aromatic Salisb, and Curcuma zedoaria Rosc in Taiwan. The compositions of essential oils from Curcuma aromatica Salisb, and Curcuma zedoaria Rosc were identified by GC-MS. Essential oils have the effect to cause a dose- and time-dependent growth inhibition of NCI-H1299 cells. Essential oils induced H1299 cells apoptosis as confirmed by annexin V/ propidium iodide staining and DNA fragmentation experiment. Essential oils induced apoptosis of H1299 were characterized by cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-8, caspase-3, and PARP proteins. We further proof that, essential oils can induce the release of cytochrome c and up-regulate the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax, down-regulate anti-apoptotic Bcl-2. We also found that essential oils of Curcuma zedoaria Rosc can increase phospho-p38 and phospho-JNK1/2, and inhibit the avtivity of phospho-ERK1/2、phospho-Akt and phospho-IkB. Essential oils of Curcuma aromatic Salisb can increase phospho-JNK1/2, and inhibit the avtivity of phospho-ERK1/2、phospho-Akt and phospho-IkB. These results demonstrate that essential oils extracted from different Curcuma plants can induce apoptosis of H1299 cells through the activation of death receptor and mitochondria pathways, and through the activation or inhibition of other upstream signal pathways. In vivo studies, we demonstrate that essential oils of Curcuma zedoaria Rosc inhibits tumor growth in nude mice. We hope that, through this study, the essential oils of Curcuma spp. can be used as anticancer medicines for lung cancer in the near future.