Anti-oxidant and anti-cancer activities of Angelica dahurica extract via induction of apoptosis in colon cancer cells

Abstract

Introduction: Angelica dahurica Radix is the common herbal medicine with anti-cancer activities. However, details of its anti-cancer activities are lacking.

Materials and methods: We investigated the anti-cancer effects of Angelica dahurica extract in HT-29 colon cancer cell line. Cell viability, apoptotic and necrotic activities and the mechanism of actions of the active fraction were measured.

Results and discussion: The organic extract of Angelica dahurica Radi decreased significantly the gene expression of p53, Bcl, Bax and induced apoptosis via caspase cascade and cell cycle arrest. The ethanol-ethyl acetate fraction showed anti-cancer activities in HT-29 cancer cells. A HPLC-DAD analysis of the fraction indicated the presence of Imperatorin and isoimperatorin, which are the major coumarins in the active fraction that contribute to the anti-cancer activities.

Conclusions: This study has evaluated the ant-cancer activity of the organic extract of Angelica dahurica Radix against colon cancer cells and provided a basis of further development of the herbal extract for treatment of colon cancer.

Keywords: Angelica dahurica Radix; Apoptosis; Cell cycle arrest; Colon cancer; ROS scavenger.