Abstract
AIMS: Kangaisan is a powdered compound prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine which has been used in cancers for many years in Hubei province, China. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antitumor effects of Kangaisan and screen bioactive components. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 3-(4,5-Dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, flow cytometry, DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) fragmentation assay, Western blot, and real time-polymerase chain reaction were used to investigate the antiproliferation effect of n-butyl-β-D-fructofuranoside on Bel-7402 cells. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: All experiments were performed in triplicate and the results were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Statistical analysis was performed with analysis of variance using Origin 8.0 software. RESULTS: It was illustrated that treatment of Bel-7402 cells with various concentrations of n-butyl-β-D-fructofuranoside resulted in growth inhibition in both a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. The arrest of G₀/G₁ phase was also induced (P < 0.05). The increasing of sub-G₁ cell population indicated the apoplectic characteristic (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the emerging of DNA fragmentation and the increase of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and p53 expression suggested the possible mitochondrial apoptotic pathway (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results illustrate that Kangaisan showed anticancer effects and n-butyl-β-D-fructofuranoside extracted from Kangaisan can suppress Bel-7402 cells via interfering cell cycle and by inducing apoptosis.