Induction of apoptosis by Acanthopanax senticosus HARMS and its component,sesamin in human stomach cancer KATO III cells

Antitumor effect of the stem bark of Acanthopanax senticosus HARMS (ASH) fr om Hokkaido (Japanese name: Ezoukogi) on human stomach cancer KATO III cell s was investigated. The extract of the stem bark of ASH prepared with hot w ater was dissolved in distilled water and used for the assay of antitumor e ffect on the KATO III cells. The exposure of KATO III cells to ASH led to b oth growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis. Morphological change show ing apoptotic bodies was observed in the cells treated with ASH. The fragme ntation by ASH of DNA to oligo-nucleosomal-sized fragments that are charact eristics of apoptosis was observed to be concentration- and time-dependent. We have investigated which component in ASH is effective on the induction of apoptosis. Among chlorogenic acid, syringaresinol di-o-beta-D glucoside, syringin, and sesamin, components of the n-butanol extract prepared from A SH, sesamin suppressed the growth and induced apoptosis in the cells. These findings suggest that growth inhibition by ASH results from the apoptosis induced by sesamin, a component of ASH.