The Efficacy of Dandelion Root Extract in Inducing Apoptosis in Drug‐Resistant Human Melanoma Cells

Abstract

Notoriously chemoresistant melanoma has become the most prevalent form of cancer for the 25–29 North American age demographic. Standard treatment after early detection involves surgical excision (recurrence is possible), and metastatic melanoma is refractory to immuno-, radio-, and most harmful chemotherapies. Various natural compounds have shown efficacy in killing different cancers, albeit not always specifically. In this study, we show that dandelion root extract (DRE) specifically and effectively induces apoptosis in human melanoma cells without inducing toxicity in noncancerous cells. Characteristic apoptotic morphology of nuclear condensation and phosphatidylserine flipping to the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane of A375 human melanoma cells was observed within 48 hours. DRE-induced apoptosis activates caspase-8 in A375 cells early on, demonstrating employment of an extrinsic apoptotic pathway to kill A375 cells. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generated from DRE-treated isolated mitochondria indicates that natural compounds in DRE can also directly target mitochondria. Interestingly, the relatively resistant G361 human melanoma cell line responded to DRE when combined with the metabolism interfering antitype II diabetic drug metformin. Therefore, treatment with this common, yet potent extract of natural compounds has proven novel in specifically inducing apoptosis in chemoresistant melanoma, without toxicity to healthy cells.

Taraxacum officinale dandelion extracts efficiently inhibited the breast cancer stem cell proliferation

“…Increasing evidence from studies have shown that herbal extracts can induce apoptosis and arrest cell cycle in various cell types, such as BCSCS, without affecting healthy cells. Some recent studies have shown that extracts from dandelion Taraxacum officinale, also known as Dandelion Anticancer, could inhibit the proliferation of human melanoma cells (Chatterjee et al, 2011), breast cancer cells, prostate cancer cells (Sigstedt et al, 2008), and cervical cancer cells (Ketut Edy Sudiarta, 20165). Studies showed that dandelion extracts could induce cell death via the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) pathway.…”

“…TRAIL is a member of the TNF super family that can initiate apoptosis by activation of death receptor 4 (DR4/ TRAILR-1) and death receptor 5 (DR5/TRAILR-2). Since TRAIL can induce apoptosis in cancer cells, including breast cancer cells, without causing toxicity to normal cells (Chinnaiyan et al, 2000;Keane et al, 1999;Walczak et al, 1999), strategies which target TRAIL represent safe alternatives for cancer therapy development (Abdelhamed et al, 2013).…”

Selective Induction of Apoptosis and Autophagy Through Treatment With Dandelion Root Extract in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells

“…14 Recent investigations have shown that dandelion root extract (DRE) has the ability to selectively induce apoptosis in human melanoma and leukemia cells, with no toxicity to noncancerous peripheral blood mononuclear cells. 15,16 Whether DRE can induce programmed cell death in highly aggressive and resistant human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines remains unknown. In this study, we show the efficacy of DRE in inducing apoptosis in a dose-and timedependent manner in aggressive human pancreatic cell lines (BxPC-3 and PANC-1).…”

“…In parallel, similar experiments in noncancerous normal human fetal fibroblasts indicate that DRE selectively targets human pancreatic cancer cells, confirming results from previous studies. 15,16 Early activation of caspase-8 and subsequent activation of caspase-3 indicate that apoptosis induction by DRE is caused by activation of the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Interestingly, we observed that DRE induced a prodeath form of autophagy in human pancreatic cancer cells.…”

The Physiological Effects of Dandelion (Taraxacum Officinale) in Type 2 Diabetes

“…Taraxinic acid and sesquiterpene lactone have been found to be the most allergic components in dandelion, causing allergic contact dermatitis and reactions in sensitive individuals [149]. In a study evaluating dandelion root extract efficacy in drugresistant human melanoma cells, the root extract was revealed to be non-toxic to normal human cells (while it was toxic to human melanoma cells) [150].…”