The herbal agent plantamajoside, exerts a potential inhibitory effect on the development of hepatocellular carcinoma

Plantamajoside (PMS), a major component of Plantago asiatica L, has several pharmacological properties, including anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. However, the effects of PMS on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have yet to be determined. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of PMS on HCC and elucidate the underlying mechanism. All assays were conducted using 5 groups, namely control, sorafenib, and PMS 100, 50, and 25 µg/ml groups. Cell proliferation was determined by the MTT assay. Cell migration was evaluated with the wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were evaluated via flow cytometry. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis and western blotting were used to further investigate the mechanism of action of PMS. Sorafenib and PMS both significantly attenuated the proliferation and migration of HCC cells, and markedly promoted cell apoptosis. PMS induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. The efficacy of PMS increased in a dose-dependent manner. Further study evaluated the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARγ), nuclear factor (NF)-κB and cyclooxygenase (Cox-2) using RT-qPCR analysis and western blotting. The results demonstrated that PMS promoted the expression of PPARγ and suppressed the expression of NF-κB and Cox-2. In conclusion, PMS was shown to affect cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis and cell cycle distribution. Furthermore, PMS promoted the expression of PPARγ and inhibited the expression of NF-κB and Cox-2, which may be the mechanism underlying its biological effects. Based on the results of the present study, PMS appears to be a promising agent for HCC therapy.