Wu Jian-Guo, Peng Wei, Yi Jun, Wu Yan-Bin, Chen Ti-Qiang, Wong Ka-Hing, Wu Jin-Zhong
Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou 350108, PR China.
Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 May 28;154(1):198-205. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2014.04.002. Epub 2014 Apr 12.
Leaves of Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) Roem. (TSL), a popular vegetable in China, have anti-inflammatory, antidoting, and worm-killing effects and are used in folk medicine for the treatment of enteritis, dysentery, carbuncles, boils, and especially abdominal tumors. Our aim was to investigate the in vitro antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and anticancer property of the essential oil from TSL (TSL-EO), especially the pro-apoptotic effect in SGC-7901.
TSL-EO obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC/MS and was tested in vitro against twenty clinically isolated strains of Staphylococcus aureus (SA 1-20), which were either methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and two standard strains viz. ATCC 25923 and ATCC 43300. The anticancer activity of TSL-EO was evaluated in vitro against HepG2, SGC7901, and HT29 through MTT assay. Moreover, the apoptosis-inducing activity of TSL-EO in SGC7901 cells was determined by Hoechst 33324 staining and flow cytometry methods. Also, the apoptosis-related proteins viz. Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 were detected by western-blotting.
GC-MS analysis showed that TSL-EO contained a high amount of sesquiterpenes (84.64%), including copaene (8.27%), β-caryophyllene (10.16%), caryophyllene (13.18%) and β-eudesmene (5.06%). TSL-EO inhibited the growth of both MSSA and MRSA, with the lowest MIC values of 0.125 and 1mg/ml, respectively. Treatment with TSL-EO for 24h could significantly suppress the viability of three different cancer cell lines (P<0.05). Furthermore, the apoptosis-inducing activity of TSL-EO in SGC7901 cells increased in a dose-dependent manner, potentially resulting from the up-regulated expression of Bax, caspase-3 and down-regulated expression of Bcl-2.
TSL-EO possessed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and significant cytotoxicity against cancer cells and particularly prominent pro-apoptotic activity in SGC7901 cells. These bioactivities were probably due to the high content of sesquiterpenes. Our results suggested that TSL-EO possessed potential health benefits and could serve as a promising natural food addictive.
香椿（Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) Roem.）叶是中国一种常见蔬菜，具有抗炎、解毒和驱虫作用，在民间医学中用于治疗肠炎、痢疾、痈、疖，尤其是腹部肿瘤。我们的目的是研究香椿叶精油（TSL-EO）对金黄色葡萄球菌的体外抗菌活性和抗癌特性，特别是对SGC-7901细胞的促凋亡作用。
通过水蒸馏法获得的TSL-EO采用气相色谱/质谱联用（GC/MS）进行分析，并对20株临床分离的金黄色葡萄球菌（SA 1-20）进行体外测试，这些菌株包括甲氧西林敏感金黄色葡萄球菌（MSSA）或甲氧西林耐药金黄色葡萄球菌（MRSA）以及两株标准菌株，即ATCC 25923和ATCC 43300。通过MTT法评估TSL-EO对HepG2、SGC7901和HT29的体外抗癌活性。此外，采用Hoechst 33324染色和流式细胞术方法测定TSL-EO在SGC7901细胞中的凋亡诱导活性。同时，通过蛋白质免疫印迹法检测凋亡相关蛋白，即Bax、Bcl-2和caspase-3。
GC-MS分析表明，TSL-EO含有大量倍半萜（84.64%），包括古巴烯（8.27%）、β-石竹烯（10.16%）、石竹烯（13.18%）和β-桉叶烯（5.06%）。TSL-EO对MSSA和MRSA均有抑制生长作用，最低抑菌浓度（MIC）值分别为0.125和1mg/ml。用TSL-EO处理24小时可显著抑制三种不同癌细胞系的活力（P<0.05）。此外，TSL-EO在SGC7901细胞中的凋亡诱导活性呈剂量依赖性增加，这可能是由于Bax、caspase-3表达上调以及Bcl-2表达下调所致。
TSL-EO对金黄色葡萄球菌具有抗菌活性，对癌细胞具有显著的细胞毒性，在SGC7901细胞中具有特别突出的促凋亡活性。这些生物活性可能归因于倍半萜的高含量。我们的结果表明，TSL-EO具有潜在的健康益处，可作为一种有前景的天然食品添加剂。
