Deoxypodophyllotoxin: The cytotoxic and antiangiogenic component from Pulsatilla koreana

The petroleum ether fraction of Pulsatilla koreana (Ranunculaceae) was found to have an inhibitory effect on the tube-like formation of human umbilical venous endothelial (HUVE) cells and strong cytotoxic activity against five tumor cell lines. The active component isolated from the fraction was deoxypodophyllotoxin (DPT). The cytotoxic activity against the tumor cells comprising the A549, SK-OV-3, SK-MEL-2, HCT15, and B16F10 cell lines, expressed as ED50, ranged from 6 to 18 ng/ml. 3 ng/ml of DPT, a concentration considerably below the cytotoxic concentration, completely inhibited the tube-like formation of HUVE cells. Furthermore, DPT exhibited an inhibition ratio of 60% on BDF1 mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma cells. The inhibitory effect on the tube-like formation was suggested to play an important role in antitumor activity.