Objective: To know whether the essential oil of Artemisia annul L. can induce apoptosis of cultured hepatocarcinoma cell SMMC-7721.
Methods: Hepatocarcinoma cells were treated by the essential oil of Artemisia annul L. while positive control was treated by hydroxycamptothecine (HPT) and negative or mock control was treated by normal saline (NS). Induction of the apoptosis was analyzed by using flow cytometry (FCM), light microscope and electronic microscope, Giemsa's stain and DNA pattern after drug treatment.
Results: After the treatment of the cells with 100 micrograms/ml essential oil of Artemisia annul L. for 24 hours, the morphological changes of classic apoptosis such as condensation of cytoplasm, fragmentation of nuclear chromatin, and apoptosis body were seen. The sub-G1 peak was exhibited by FCM, and the DNA ladder pattern was observed.
Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that the essential oil of Artemisia annul L. could induce apoptosis of cultured SMMC-7721.