Agastache rugosa Kuntze extract, containing the active component rosmarinic acid, prevents atherosclerosis through up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21WAF1/CIP1 and p27KIP1

Agastache rugosa (Fisch. & C.A. Mey.) Kuntze (A. rugosa), commonly known as Korean mint, has traditionally been used for both food and medicine, depending on which part of the plant is used. We investigated the anti-proliferative activities of A. rugosa extract in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and analysed several molecular pathways to determine the active component of the extract. A. rugosa extract inhibited PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMC proliferation and DNA synthesis. A. rugosa extract caused arrest of the cell cycle at the G(0)/G(1) transition by up-regulating the levels of p21(WAF1/CIP1) and p27(KIP1). Among the components of the A. rugosa extract reported in a previous study, rosmarinic acid (RA) only inhibited DNA synthesis and dose-dependently suppressed PCNA expression. These results indicate that A. rugosa extract, which includes the active component RA, demonstrates anti-proliferative activity by arresting the cell cycle at the G(0)/G(1) phase through the upregulation of p21(WAF1/CIP1) and p27(KIP1) expression. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.