A tumor cell growth inhibitor from Saposhnikovae divaricata

In the present study, we tested ethanolic extracts from 10 Chinese herbs for their effects on K562, Raji, Wish, HeLa, Calu-1, and Vero tumor cells proliferation. On a percentage basis, panaxynol purified from Saposhnikovae divaricata had the highest inhibitory activity on various tumor cells proliferation. Cell-cycle analysis indicated that panaxynol arrested the cell cycle progression of tumor cells from the G1 transition to the S phase. In an attempt to further localize the point in the cell cycle where arrest occurred, gene expression of cyclin E, a key regulatory event leading to the G1/S boundary was examined. Results indicated that the levels of cyclin E mRNA in various tumor cells were decreased by panaxynol. Thus, the suppressant effects of panaxynol on proliferation of various tumor cells appeared to be mediated, at least in part, through impairments of cyclin E mRNA levels and arresting cell cycle progression in the cells.