pulsatilla-saponin-d

Description: Pulsatilla saponin D (SB365), a naturally-occurring chemical isolated from the root of Pulsatilla koreana, has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases. SB365 strongly suppressed the growth and proliferation of colon cancer cells and induced their apoptosis. Also, SB365 showed anti-angiogenic activity by decreasing the expression of HIF-1alpha and VEGF. These results were confirmed by an in vivo study showing that SB365 significantly inhibited tumor growth by the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of angiogenesis with stronger anticancer activity than 5-FU. When further examined for its anticancer mechanism, SB365 effectively suppressed the AKT/mTOR pathway both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our study demonstrated that SB365 inhibits the AKT/mTOR pathway, leading to the suppression of tumor growth and angiogenesis together with induction of apoptosis. Therefore, SB365 is a good candidate as a natural product for use in the treatment of colon cancer.

References: Food Chem. 2013 Jan 1; 136(1):26-33; Carcinogenesis. 2013 Sep; 34(9):2156-69.