Chelerythrine chloride from Macleaya cordata induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in human gastric cancer BGC-823 cells

This study aimed to investigate the ability of chelerythrine chloride (CHE), the main active ingredient of Macleaya cordata, to induce apoptosis in human gastric cancer BGC-823 cells. The results demonstrate that CHE inhibits cell proliferation in a time-and dose-dependent manner with accompanying S phase arrest. It also induces apoptosis by a mechanism involving a reduction in the mitochondrial membrane potential, the release of cytochrome c, activation of caspase 3 and cleavage of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase. In addition, CHE-induced apoptosis is accompanied by down-regulation of Bc1-xl and Bc1-2 proteins with no change in the levels of Bax proteins. Taken together, the results support the development of CHE as a potentially useful anticancer drug for the treatment of gastric cancer. (C) 2012 Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Chinese Pharmaceutical Association. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.