Dioscorealide B from the traditional Thai medicine Hua-Khao-Yen induces apoptosis in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells via modulation of Bax, Bak and Bcl-2 protein expression.

Dioscorealide B is a pharmacologically active compound from the rhizome of the Thai medicinal plant Dioscorea membranacea. Here, we demonstrated that in vitro treatment of dioscorealide B resulted in a cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells (IC50 = 2.82 microM).

Cytotoxic effect and its mechanism of dioscorealide B from Dioscorea membranacea against breast cancer cells.

Background: Dioscorealide B is an active compound from the rhizome of Dioscorea membranacea Pierre which locally known as "Hua-Khao-Yen". This medicinal plant has long been used in the anticancer prescription of Thai traditional medicine.

Objective: To examine the cytotoxic effect and mechanism of Dioscorealide B in human breast carcinoma cells.

Growth inhibition of breast cancer cell line MCF-7 by siRNA silencing of Wilms tumor 1 gene.

Background: RNA interference (RNAi) is sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression induced by double-stranded RNA.

Objective: Define the role of Wilms tumor 1 gene (WT1) in breast cancer oncogenesis using RNAi.

Material And Method: MCF-7 breast cancer cells, which express a high level of WT1, were transfected with synthetic small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting WT1 (siRNA(WT1)) resulting in inhibition of WTI expression, as well as growth, in a dose- and time-dependent manner.