Selective anticancer effects and protection from chemotherapy by the botanical compound LCS101: Implications for cancer treatment

Abstract

There is a need for new options for reducing the side effects of cancer treatment, without compromising efficacy, enabling patients to complete treatment regimens. The botanical compound LCS101 exhibits inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth, and reduces chemotherapy-induced hematological toxicities. The aim of the present study is to examine the selectivity of the effects of the compound, alone and in conjunction with conventional chemotherapy agents, on cancer cell proliferation. The effects of LCS101 were tested on a number of cancer cell lines (breast, MCF7, MDA-MB‑231; colorectal, HCT116; prostate, PC-3, DU-145) and on non-tumorigenic normal human epithelial cells (breast, MCF10A; prostate, EP#2). Cell viability was analyzed using an XTT assay and observed by light microscopy. Necrosis and apoptosis were examined using FACS analysis and immunoblotting. LCS101 selectively induced cell death in breast, colon and prostate cancer cell lines, as measured by XTT assay. Light microscopy and FACS analysis showed changes indicative of a necrotic process. LCS101 was also found to induce PARP-1 reduction in breast cancer cells, with no effect on non-tumorigenic breast epithelial cells. While LCS101 increased cell death in cancer cells exposed to doxorubicin and 5-FU, it showed a protective effect on non-tumorigenic human epithelial cells from chemotherapy-induced cell death. A similar selective effect was observed with apoptosis-associated PARP-1 cleavage. The findings demonstrate that the anti-proliferative effects exhibited by the botanical compound LCS101 are selective to cancer cells, and offer protection to non-tumorigenic normal epithelial cells from chemotherapy agents.

Botanical Formula LCS101: A Multi-Targeted Approach to Cancer Care

“…A number of the individual LCS101 components have been shown in earlier research to exhibit anticancer activity, at least in the in vitro setting. 25 The first of the studies examining the formula as a whole product examined the cytotoxic effects of LCS101 on human breast cancer cell lines (MDA-231, MDA-453, and T47D), using an XTT viability assay. A nearly 50% growth inhibition was observed in LCS101-treated cells, with a FACS (fluorescence-activated cell sorting) analysis indicating elevated sub-G1 population in treated cells ( P < .05), suggesting that an apoptotic mechanism was responsible for cell death.…”

“…Further analysis identified 6 of the 14 LCS101 components as being the most cytotoxic to cancer cells: Ligustrum lucidum, Spatholobus suberectus, Paeonia lactiflora white, Paeonia lactiflora red, Prunella vulgaris , and Scutellaria barbata . 25 It was later shown that these 6 botanicals induce reactive oxygen species in their cytotoxic activity. 27 …”

“…Error bars in (A) represent the standard ± deviation. Reproduced with permission from Cohen et al 25 …”

Role of reactive oxygen species in the anticancer activity of botanicals: Comparing sensitivity profiles

“…The products studied were chosen in accordance with the principles of traditional Chinese medicine herbology, as well as findings from our previous studies (6). The botanicals that exhibited clear anticancer activity were then tested against the same panel of cells, this time using the ROS scavenger pyruvate.…”

Corosolic acid inhibits the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells by inducing apoptosis

“…It is clear that apoptosis is critical for the cytotoxicity induced by anticancer drugs (19). Over the years, accumulating evidence has clearly indicated that anticancer drugs are able to induce apoptosis, and that this process is involved in the mediation of their cytotoxic effects (20). In addition, the selective regulation of the apoptotic pathway in cancer cells has been the goal of cancer researchers (21).…”