Background:
In recent years, natural products have received great attention for cancer prevention
owing to their various health benefits, noticeable lack of toxicity and side effects, and the limitations
of chemotherapeutic agents. Andrographolide, a labdane diterpenoid is a principal bioactive
constituent of Andrographis paniculata Nees, exhibits significant anticancer activity.
Objective:
The efficacy of andrographolide on colon cancer cells is yet to be elucidated completely.
Therefore, we investigated the anticancer efficiency of andrographolide in colon cancer DLD1 cell
line.
Methods:
Antiproliferative activity of andrographolide on DLD1 cells was evaluated by MTT assay,
LDH release assay, morphological analysis and colony formation assay. Induction of apoptosis was
determined by DAPI staining, Annexin V-FITC staining assay, and caspase-3 activation assay. Role of
andrographolide induced cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and its association with apoptosis
induction in DLD1 cells was elucidated by DCFDA dye. Synergistic ability of andrographolide with 5-
fluorouracil (5-FU) and paclitaxel (PTX) was evaluated by MTT assay.
Results:
Results of the present study indicated that andrographolide declined cell viability of DLD1
cells in a concentration and time-dependent manner. Andrographolide induced apoptosis via nuclear
condensation, phosphatidylserine externalization and caspase-3 activation. It also augmented cellular
ROS levels which were in turn associated with apoptosis induction in DLD1 cells. Moreover, andrographolide
displayed synergistic activity with 5-FU and PTX against DLD1 cells.
Conclusion:
The present study showed that andrographolide demonstrated antiproliferative and apoptotic
properties, moreover it also displayed synergistic effect with chemotherapeutic drugs in colon
cancer DLD1 cells.