Induction of Apoptosis by Selected Pakistani Medicinal Plants in Human Lymphoma U937 Cells

  • Mati Ur Rehman Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
  • Paras Jawaid Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
  • Qing-Li Zhao Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
  • Syed Faisal Zaidi College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University of Health Sciences Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Takashi Kondo Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
  • Tanveer Ahmad Mir Graduate School of Science and Engineering for Research, University of Toyama, Japan.
  • Khan Usmanghani Jinnah University for Women, Karachi
Keywords: Apoptosis, Polygonum bistorta, Pakistani medicinal plants

Abstract

Traditional medicines have long been utilized to treat different ailments and their anti-cancer potential has been well developed. In the present study, the apoptosis inducing ability of selected Pakistani medicinal plants was investigated in human lymphoma U937 cell. When the U937 cells were treated with ethanol extracts of medicinal plants for 24 h at a concentration of 100 µg/ml, evidence of apoptotic features, such as increase in the DNA fragmentation % was obtained. Among the four medicinal plants tested, Polygonumbistota (PB) showed significant (***p<0.001) increased in the DNA fragmentation % at 50 µg/ml and 100 µg/ml, respectively. Furthermore, PB treatment resulted in the activation of caspase-3. In addition, the activation of Bid was also observed following treatment with PB. Taken together, our findings provide insight into the possible mechanism of action of PB and its anti-cancer potential.

Author Biographies

Mati Ur Rehman, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.

Department of Radiological Sciences,

Paras Jawaid, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan

Department of Radiological Sciences,

Qing-Li Zhao, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.

Department of Radiological Sciences,

Syed Faisal Zaidi, College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University of Health Sciences Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, 

Takashi Kondo, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.

Department of Radiological Sciences,

Tanveer Ahmad Mir, Graduate School of Science and Engineering for Research, University of Toyama, Japan.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, 

Khan Usmanghani, Jinnah University for Women, Karachi

Faculty of Pharmacy

Published
2015-12-10