Antitumor activities of the four sesquiterpene lactones from Elephantopus scaber L

Aim: To evaluate antitumor activity of sesquiterpene lactones (scabertopin (ES-2), isoscabertopin (ES-3), deoxyelephantopin (ES-4), isodeoxyelephantopin (ES-5)) isolated from Elephantopus scaber L. in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: SMMC-7721, Caco-2 and HeLa cell lines were treated with ES-2,3,4,5. Cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Agarose gel electrophoresis was used to detect DNA fragmentation. To evaluate in vivo antitumor activity of ES-4, experimental murine tumor model was used.

Results: It was shown that ES-2, ES-4, ES-5 exhibited significant antitumor effect in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner. However, the effect of ES-3 on the growth of tested cell lines was relatively weak. In HeLa cells exposed to ES-4 for 48 h, morphological changes and DNA ladder pattern evidencing on Apoptosis were detected. ES-4 revealed in vivo antitumor activity.

Conclusion: Antitumor activity of studied sesquiterpene lactones may be due, at least in part, to induction of Apoptosis in vitro. ES-4 possesses also antitumor activity in vivo.