Embelin induces apoptosis of human gastric carcinoma through inhibition of p38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.

Embelin is a small-molecule inhibitor of X‑linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), and it induces apoptosis in tumor cells via the inhibition of XIAP. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anticancer effect of embelin on human gastric carcinoma cells and the mechanisms underlying this effect. Cell proliferation of SGC7901 human gastric carcinoma cells was measured using MTT assay, following treatment with embelin (5, 10 and 15 µM) on days 1, 3 and 5.