Eupatorin-induced cell death in human leukemia cells is dependent on caspases and activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway

Eupatorin is a naturally occurring flavone that inhibits cell proliferation in human tumor cells. Here we demonstrate that eupatorin arrests cells at the G2-M phase of the cell cycle and induces apoptotic cell death involving activation of multiple caspases, mitochondrial release of cytochrome c and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage in human leukemia cells. This flavonoid induced the phosphorylation of members of the mitogen-activated protein kinases and cell death was attenuated by inhibition of c-Jun N-terminal kinases/stress activated protein kinases. Eupatorin-induced cell death is mediated by both the extrinsic and the intrinsic apoptotic pathways and through a mechanism dependent on Reactive Oxygen Species generation.