Volatile oils from Centipeda minima extracted by steam distillation (SD) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) were investigated for their antiproliferative effects on the human nasopharyngeal cancer CNE cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay results showed that CNE cells were more susceptible to the SFE oil than to the SD oil. The IC50 values of the SFE oil were 56.6, 8.7 and 5.2 μg/mL after 24-, 48- and 72-h of treatment, respectively, whereas those of the SD oil were 123.5 μg/mL (24 h), 97.1 μg/mL (48 h) and 83.3 μg/mL (72 h). Mechanistic investigation revealed that SFE oil induced CNE cell death via induction of apoptosis by regulating the expression of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, resulting in the dysfunction of mitochondria, leading to the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol, which then activated caspase-9, and subsequently cleaved caspases-3 and −7. This study provided strong evidence for the anti-NPC potential of the SFE oil from C. minima.
ChouJ, LinY, KimJ, YouL, XuZ, HeB, JablonsDM. (2008) Nasopharyngeal carcinoma–review of the molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis. Head Neck, 30, 946–963.
BaujatB, AudryH, BourhisJ, ChanATC, OnatH, ChuaDTT, KwongDLW, al-SarrafM, ChiKH, HareyamaM, LeungSF, ThephamongkholK, PignonJP. (2006) Chemotherapy in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: an individual patient data meta-analysis of eight randomized trials and 1753 patients. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, 64, 47–56.
4.
WangY, HeQY, TsaoSW, CheungYH, WongA, ChiuJF. (2008) Cytokeratin 8 silencing in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells leads to cisplatin sensitization. Cancer Letter, 265, 188–196;
5.
XieSM, FangWY, LiuZ, WangSX, LiX, LiuTF, XieWB, YaoKT. (2008) Lentivirus-mediated RNAi silencing targeting ABCC2 increasing the sensitivity of a human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line against cisplatin. Journal of Translational Medicine, 6, 55–63.
6.
ShiZ, FuGX. (1983) Flora of China. Science Publishing House, Beijing, People's Republic of China, 132–133.
7.
LinR, ShiZ. (2005) Pharmacopoeia of China. Science Publishing House, Beijing, People's Republic of China, 132.
8.
ChengJH, LiYB. (1998) Antitumor herbal medicines and their proved recipes, Jiangxi Science Technology Press, Beijing, People's Republic of China, 732;
9.
ZhangYH. (2000) A collection of anticancer Chinese medicines. Jiangsu Science and Technology Publishing House, Nanjing, People's Republic of China, 435.
10.
LiC, WuH, HuangY, YangY, LiuY, LiuJ. (2008) 6-O-Angeloylenolin induces apoptosis through a mitochondrial/caspase and NF-κB pathway in human leukemia HL60 cells. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 62, 401–409;
11.
SuM, LiY, ChungHY, YeW. (2009) 2β-(Isobutyryloxy)florilenalin, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the medicinal plant Centipeda minima, induces apoptosis in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE cells. Molecules, 14, 2135–2146.
12.
LeeH, LinJY. (1988) Antimutagenic activity of extracts from anticancer drugs in Chinese medicine. Mutation Research, 204, 229–234.
13.
WuJB, ChunYT, EbizukaY, SankawaU. (1985) Biologically active constituents of Centipeda minima: Isolation of a new plenolin ester and the anti-allergy activity of sesquiterpene lactones. Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 33, 4091–4094;
14.
WuJB, ChunYT, EbizukaY, SankawaU. (1991) Biologically active constituents of Centipeda minima: Sesquiterpenes of potential anti-allergy activity. Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 39, 3272–3275;
LiuZ, YuH, WenS, LiuY. (2005) Histopathological study on allergic rhinitis treated with Centipeda minima. China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica, 30, 292–294.
17.
TaylorRSL, TowersGHN. (1998) Antibacterial constituents of the Nepalese medicinal herb, Centipeda minima. Phytochemistry, 47, 631–634;
18.
LiangH, BaoF, DongX, LuQ, ChengY. (2007) Antibacterial triterpenes from Centipeda minima (Compositae). Acta Botanica Yunnanica, 29, 479–482;
LiangH, BaoF, DongX, ZhuH, LuX, ShiM, LuQ, ChengY. (2007) Two new antibacterial sesquiterpenoids from Centipeda minima. Chemistry & Biodiversity, 4, 2810–2816.
21.
QinR, MeiX, WanL, ShiJ, ShenY. (2005) Effects of the volatile oil of Centipeda minima on acute pleural effusion in rats induced by an intrapleural injection of Car. China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica, 30, 1192–1194;
22.
QinR, MeiX, WanL, ShiJL, ShenYJ. (2005) Effects of the volatile oil of sandwort on expression of CD54 in the bronchial epithelium tissue of acute lung injury rat. China Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, 20, 466–468
23.
QianY, ZhaoCJ, YanY. (2004) The liver-protective effect of the Ebushicao on hepatic injury in mice. China Pharmaceuticals, 13, 25–26.
24.
JeongSY, SeoDW. (2008) The role of mitochondria in apoptosis. BMB Reports, 41, 11–22;
25.
AdamsJM. (2004) Ways of dying: multiple pathways to apoptosis. Genes & Development, 17, 2481–2495.
26.
WongWWL, PuthalakathH. (2008) Bcl-2 family proteins: The sentinels of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. IUBMB Life, 60, 390–397.
SuM, WuX, ChungHY, LiY, YeW. (2009) Antiproliferative activities of five Chinese medicinal herbs and active compounds in Elephantopus scaber. Natural Product Communications, 4, 1025–1030.
