Involvement of Bcl-2 family, cytochrome c and caspase 3 in induction of apoptosis by beauvericin in human non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Beauvericin (BEA), a cyclic hexadepsipeptide from Codyceps cicadae, possesses anti-convulsion, anti-arrhythmia, sedation, and anti-tumor activities. It has been reported that BEA induces apoptosis in several cancer cell lines. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the BEA-induced apoptotic process is not yet clearly understood.