Ethanol extract of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Harms induces liver cancer cell apoptosis through inhibiting NF-κB

BACKGROUND: Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Harms, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used to treat various diseases, including ischemic, heart diseases, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hypertension and neurasthenia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the anticancer activity of A. senticosus (ASE). MATERIALS: MTT assay, clonogenicity, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), flow cytometry and Western blot were employed to evaluate the viability and invasion of liver cancer cells. In addition, luciferase assay was used to delineate the inhibitory activity of ethanol extract against NF-κB. RESULTS: Our results showed that the ethanol extract of ASE could decrease the viability of cancer cells. In addition, the ethanol extract could decrease the protein levels of Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9, t-protein kinase B (Akt) and p-Akt, but increase those of E-cadherin. Nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB)-Luciferase assay showed the ethanol extract could effectively inhibit the activity of NF-κB. Furthermore, fourteen compounds including seven active compounds were isolated and activities against NF-κB were investigated. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that the ASE could be as an alternative or complementary therapy to treat liver cancer.