Wogonin, a bioactive flavonoid in herbal tea, inhibits inflammatory cyclooxygenase‐2 gene expression in human lung epithelial cancer cells

Abstract

Wogonin, a naturally occurring plant flavonoid, is isolated from Chinese herbal plants Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and S. barbata D. Don. The extract of S. baicalensis Georgi has been added to an assortment of health drinks or food supplements. Wogonin has been reported to exhibit anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a key enzyme in the production of prostaglandins in inflammatory conditions. In this study, the effect of wogonin on phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced COX-2 expression was investigated. It showed that wogonin inhibited PMA-induced COX-2 protein and mRNA levels in human lung epithelial cancer cells, and the mechanism of this inhibition was at the transcriptional level by using COX-2 gene promoter assay. Among various signal inhibitors, the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) inhibitor U0126 also inhibited PMA-induced COX-2 expression and COX-2 promoter activation. The activity of AP-1-driven promoter, but not nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), was inhibited by U0126. The data indicated that MEK1/2-AP-1 is very important for PMA-induced COX-2 expression. Wogonin also inhibited PMA-induced AP-1 activation and the expression of c-Jun, a key component of AP-1. Taken together, it is suggested that wogonin inhibits PMA-induced COX-2 gene expression by inhibiting c-Jun expression and AP-1 activation in A549 cells.

Pharmacokinetics of cisplatin in the absence or presence of Zengmian Yiliu granules (a traditional Chinese medicine compound) in rats determined via ICP-MS: An investigation on drug–herb interactions

“…Furthermore, ZMYL could reverse CDDPresistance of resistant ovarian cancer in nude mice and enhance the tumor inhibitory effect Qi et al, 2012). In addition, several components in ZMYL, such as paeoniflorin, albiflorin, and wogonin, have been reported to have antitumor activity or to enhance the efficacy of CDDP radiation and chemotherapy as well as oppose the toxicity of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression (Chen et al, 2008;Xu et al, 2011;Yu et al, 2007). These results indicate that ZMYL is a potential complementary and alternative medicine during CDDP chemotherapy.…”

Flavonoides como agentes quimiopreventivos y terapéuticos contra el cáncer de pulmón

“…En la tabla 2 se presenta un resumen de los principales estudios realizados en modelos celulares y animales al respecto 51,52,[54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70] . Un estudio in vivo con ratones a los que se induce cáncer mediante la molécula benzo(a)pireno, presente en el humo del tabaco, muestra la capacidad de la fisetina, un flavonol presente en frutas y hortalizas (fresa, manzana, caqui, uva, cebolla y pepino), para inhibir la proliferación celular y el desarrollo de tumores, gracias a sus propiedades antioxidantes 68 .…”

Scutellarein ameliorates tongue cancer cells via mitochondria

“…It has been reported that S. baicalensis and S. barbata have diverse biological activities that are anti-inflammatory [9], antioxidative [9], and antibacterial [10]. Recent investigations show that S. baicalensis and S. barbata alone, or in combination with other herbs, can inhibit cancer cell proliferation or induce apoptosis in breast [11], hepatocellular [12], lung [13], prostate [14], colon [15], and gynecologic neoplasms [16]. However, it is still unclear whether these activities are caused by the additive or synergistic effects of several components of S. baicalensis or S. barbata, or due to a single component of them.…”

“…Luteolin induces apoptosis of Lewis lung carcinoma cells by effectively activating caspase 9 and 3 and down-regulating the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt [22]. Wogonin can inhibit phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced COX-2 gene expression in human lung epithelial cancer A549 cells [13] and promote the granulocytic differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells by upregulating the expression of phospholipid scramblase 1 gene [23]. Scutellarein, 5,6,7,4'-Tetrahydroxy flavone, is a flavonoid monomer composition of S. baicalensis and S. barbata.…”