∆-Tetrahydrocannabinol, a major marijuana component, enhances the anesthetic effect of pentobarbital through the CB receptor.

Purpose: ∆ Tetrahydrocannabinol (∆-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), major psychoactive constituents of marijuana, induce potentiation of pentobarbital-induced sleep in mice. We have elucidated the mechanism of enhancement of the anesthetic effect of pentobarbital by cannabinoids.

Methods: We carried out pharmacological experiment and cannabinoid (CB) receptor binding assay using CB antagonists to clarify whether the CB receptor is involved in the synergism or not.

23-hydroxyursolic acid causes cell growth-inhibition by inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis in human cervical squamous carcinoma HeLa cells.

Background: There are few reports on the biological activities of 23-hydroxyursolic acid (23-HUA). The mechanism of growth-inhibition induced by 23-HUA, isolated from Cussonia bancoensis, in human cervical squamous carcinoma HeLa cells is hereby investigated.

Materials And Methods: The growth-inhibitory activity was measured by MTS assay.

Inhibition of tetrandrine on epidermal growth factor-induced cell transformation and its signal transduction.

Background: The mouse epidermal JB6 cell system is a model for studying tumor promotion. We used the JB6 Cl 41 cell line to examine the mechanism of the anti-tumor-promoting effect of tetrandrine, an alkaloid isolated from Stephania tetrandra S Moore.

Materials And Methods: The anti-tumor-promoting effect of tetrandrine was evaluated by assay of inhibition of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced transformation of JB6 Cl 41 cells in soft agar.