Anticancer effects of Gardenia jasminoides in HepG2 human hepatoma cells

Gardenia jasminoides is a natural plant, it has many biological activities. Its ability of cancer cell apoptosis needs to be researched. Methods: In this study, the important biological activity materials were determined by high efficiency liquid chromatography. The in vitro anticancer effects were measured by MTT and RT-PCR assays in HepG2 human hepatoma cells. Results: Gardenia jasminoides contained 1.03% genipin gentiobioside, 5.90% gardenoside, 1.26% crocin 1 and 0.17% crocin 2. Gardenia jasminoides had significantly strong HepG2 cells inhibitory effects, and highest effect 80.2% is showed in 400 mu g/mL concentration of Gardenia jasminoides which is remarkable. the Gardenia jasminoides also have the ability to increase the mRNA expression of caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, Bax, TRAIL, Fas, Fas/FasL, p53, p21, I kappa B-alpha and decrease the Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, XIAP, cIAP-1, cIAP-2, survivin, NF-kappa B expression in HepG2 cells. The higher concentration of Gardenia jasminoides also showed the higher increasing or decreasing mRNA expression effects in HepG2 cells. Conclusion: Gardenia jasminoides had a strong anticancer effect through its apoptosis inducing abilities in hepatic cancer; it could be used for the treatment as a medicine or health product in daily human life for good liver health.