Oleiferoside W from the roots of <i>Camellia oleifera</i> C. Abel, inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in A549 cells

<p><i>Camellia oleifera</i> C<i>.</i> Abel has been widely cultivated in China, and a group of bioactive constituents such as triterpeniod saponin have been isolated from <i>C. oleifera</i> C. Abel<i>.</i> In the current study, a new triterpeniod saponin was isolated from the EtOH extract of the roots of <i>C. oleifera</i> C. Abel, named as oleiferoside W, and the cytotoxic properties of oleiferoside W were evaluated in non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells. At the same time the inducing apoptosis, the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ), the up-regulation of related pro-apoptotic proteins, such as cleaved-PARP, cleaved-caspase-3, and the down-regulation of anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2/Bax were measured on oleiferoside W. Furthermore, the function, inducing the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis, of oleiferoside W could be reversed by N-acetylcysteine (NAC). In conclusion, our findings showed that oleiferoside W induced apoptosis involving mitochondrial pathway and increasing intracellular ROS production in the A549 cells, suggesting that oleiferoside W may have the possibility to be a useful anticancer agent for therapy in lung cancer.</p

Antischistosomal activity of hederacochiside C against <i>Schistosoma japonicum</i> harbored in experimentally infected animals

<p>The present study was undertaken to investigate whether hederacochiside C (HSC) possesses antischistosomal effects and anti-inflammatory response activities in <i>Schistosoma japonicum</i>-infected mice. Different concentrations of HSC were administrated to the mice infected by schistosomula or adult worm by intravenous injection twice a day for five consecutive days. The total worm burden, female worm burden, and the egg burden in liver of mice treated with 400 mg/kg HSC were fewer than those in non-treated ones. Murine immune responses following HSC treatment were investigated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Our results indicated that 200 mg/kg HSC could reduce the expression of IgG, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-17 in comparison to infected group, exhibiting best immunomodulatory effects. In addition, scanning electron microscopical examination revealed that male worms treated with HSC lost their normal surface architecture since its surface showed extensive swelling, erosion, and peeling in tegumental regions. Remarkable amelioration was noticed in histopathological investigations, and 200 mg/kg HSC treatment could reduce the size of granulomatous inflammatory infiltrations in the liver which was reflected in nearly normalization of liver architecture. These results suggested that HSC had potential antischistosomal activity and provided a basis for subsequent experimental.</p