Noscapine inhibits human hepatocellular carcinoma growth through inducing apoptosis in vitro and in vivo

Noscapine, a phthalideisoquinoline alkaloid derived from opium, has been demonstrated as a promising anti-tumor compound against various cancers. However, the anti-cancer activity of noscapine in hepatocellular carcinoma has not been defined. In this study, we investigate the inhibitive effects of noscapine on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using both in vitro and in vivo models. In vitro proliferation assay showed that noscapine suppressed HepG2 and Huh7 cells in dose-and time-dependent manners. With a mouse xenograft model, noscapine showed notable inhibition on HCC tumor growth in vivo without suppression of body weight. Moreover, apoptotic induction and regulation of related signalings by noscapine were examined by nuclear DNA staining, TUNEL, and western blotting assays. Results showed that noscapine induced apoptosis in HCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Further studies indicated that noscapine induced antive-capsase-3, cleavage PARP, and decreased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. Hence, these data indicates that noscapine selectively suppresses HCC cell growth through apoptosis induction, providing evidence for application of noscapine as a novel agent against human hepatocellular carcinoma.