Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 27, 2025
Establishment of Hepatocarcinoma in BALB/c-nu Mice and Investigation of the Therapeutic Effect of the Sanleng Jiashen Formula
Published on: January 26, 2024
Astragaloside IV Induces Apoptosis, G1-Phase Arrest and Inhibits Anti-apoptotic Signaling in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Chun-Min Su1, Hsiao-Chia Wang2,3, Fei-Ting Hsu4
1Department of Surgery, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Background/Aim:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignancy of the liver and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Although multiple chemotherapies options are available for HCC, chemo-induced toxicity is inevitable during clinical treatment. Therefore, identifying possible adjuvant agents with both liver-protective and antitumor effects is critical. Herbal medicines have chemopreventive and anti-HCC effect, such as Juzen taiho-to and Sho-saiko-to. Astragaloside IV is a compound extracted from the Chinese medical herb Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. with liver protection potential. However, whether astragaloside IV may also possess tumor-inhibitory capability and its underlying mechanism is remaining unknown.
Materials And Methods:
Viability analysis, cell-cycle analysis, apoptosis analysis, western blotting analysis and invasion trans-well assay were performed to identify tumor-inhibitory potential of astragaloside IV on HCC cells (SK-Hep1 and Hep3B cells).
Results:
We found that astragaloside IV may induce cytotoxicity and extrinsic/intrinsic apoptosis effect, but also trigger G1 arrest in HCC cells. The expression of anti-apoptotic proteins of HCC were all reduced by astragaloside IV. Additionally, astragaloside IV also suppressed HCC cell invasion ability.
Conclusion:
Astragaloside IV effectively suppressed HCC cell proliferation, invasion and anti-apoptosis in vitro.
