CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF BRYONOLIC ACID ISOLATED FROM TRANSFORMED HAIRY ROOTS OF TRICHOSANTHES KIRILOWII VAR JAPONICA

Bryonolic acid was isolated in high yield from transformed hairy root cultures of Tricosanthes kirilowii var, japonica, Bryonolic acid exhib ited cytotoxic activity to various tumor cells in vitro, independent o f cell type, Normal cells such as rat hepatocytes are less sensitive t o bryonolic acid, The appearance of a DIVA ladder was detected in the bryonolic acid-treated HL-60RG cells, indicating that cell death trigg ered by bryonolic acid is due to apoptosis.