Cytotoxic Effects of Pinnatane A Extracted from (Meliaceae) on Human Liver Cancer Cells.

Background: Pinnatane A from the bark of was investigated for its anti-cancer properties by analyzing the cytotoxic activities and cell cycle arrest mechanism induced in two different liver cancer cell lines.

Methods: A 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to analyze the pinnatane A selectivity in inducing cell death in cancer and normal cells. Various biological assays were carried out to analyze the anti-cancer properties of pinnatane A, such as a live/dead assay for cell death microscopic visualization, cell cycle analysis using propidium iodide (PI) to identify the cell cycle arrest phase, annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (annexin V-FITC)/PI flow cytometry assay to measure percentage of cell populations at different stages of apoptosis and necrosis, and DNA fragmentation assay to verify the late stage of apoptosis.

Induction of intrinsic apoptosis in leukaemia stem cells and in vivo zebrafish model by betulonic acid isolated from Walsura pinnata Hassk (Meliaceae).

Background: Leukaemia stem cells (LSC) have been associated with disease relapse and chemotherapy resistance. Betulonic acid (BA), a pentacyclic lupane-type triterpenoid, was reported to exhibit cytotoxicity toward various cancer cells and to be capable of inducing intrinsic apoptosis in solid tumours. However, the in vitro and in vivo apoptotic effects of BA against LSC remain unknown.