Apoptosis of Hela cells induced by extract from Cremanthodium humile

Cremanthodium humile (C. humile) is a traditional herbal medicine for treatment of inflammation. Based on initial screening results, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect on four human cancer cell lines and one non-cancer cell line (293), then to determine the possible mechanisms of cell death elicited by the extract of C. humile on Hela cells. We have found the ether extract of C. humile (CH-EE) strongly decreased the survival rate of the four human tumor cell lines: Hela, A549, HepG2 and SW480. The cytotoxic effect of CH-EE on 293 was smaller than on tumor cell lines. Flow cytometry assays and nuclear staining showed that CH-EE induced apoptosis in Hela cells. This process was accompanied by the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, the release of cytochrome c and the activation of caspase-3/7 and -9. Furthermore, CH-EE generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Hela cells. These results indicate that CH-EE induces apoptosis in Hela cells through a ROS-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction pathway.