Anti-tumor effects of phenolic alkaloids of menispermum dauricum on gastric cancer in vivo and in vitro

Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the anti-tumor effects of the Chinese traditional herb phenolic alkaloids of menispermum dauricum (PAMD) on gastric cancer both in vitro and in vivo. Materials and Methods: Cell apoptosis was detected in cultured SGC-7901 cells after administration of a different dose of PAMD. Gastric cancer model was established by single i.p. injection of SGC-7901 cells in the mice (n = 60). Then, animals were received high dose (20 mg/kg), medial dose (10 mg/kg), and low dose (5 mg/kg) of PAMD. Mice received 5-floxuridine was set as positive controls and received normal saline was as blank controls. Effects of PAMD on tumor growth were evaluated by tumor inhibition rate. Tumor tissues were collected from mice and detected for the expression of several genes P53, B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), BCL-2-associated X protein (BAX), CASPASE-3, K-RAS by real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot. In addition, tumor cell changes were observed under transmission electron microscopy. Results: The apoptosis index in PAMD at high-and medial-dose group was significantly higher than that in blank control group (P < 0.01). PAMD at different dose could significantly decrease the tumor weight compared to the blank control group (P < 0.01). In addition, PAMD could obviously increase BAX and caspase-3 expression as well as decrease K-RAS expression when compared to the blank control treatment (P < 0.01). Furthermore, PAMD could induce tumor cell morphology changes. Conclusions: PAMD could suppress gastric tumor growth in vivo, possibly through increasing the expression of pro-apoptotic genes expression then leading to cell apoptosis and inhibiting oncogenic K-RAS expression.