Induction of mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis by an essential oil from Tanacetum gracile

• Published in: Planta medica Vol. 74; no. 5; pp. 515 - 520
• Main Authors: Verma, M, Singh, S.K, Bhushan, S, Pal, H.C, Kitchlu, S, Koul, M.K, Thappa, R.K, Saxena, A.K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.04.2008
• Subjects: anticarcinogenic activity; apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Caspase 3 - metabolism; Caspase 9 - metabolism; caspases; cultured cells; Cytochromes c - metabolism; cytotoxicity; DNA Fragmentation - drug effects; Enzyme Activation - drug effects; essential oils; HL-60 Cells; Humans; medicinal properties; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial - drug effects; mitochondria; Oils, Volatile - isolation & purification; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases - metabolism; Tanacetum; Tanacetum - chemistry; Tanacetum gracile
• ISSN: 0032-0943; 1439-0221
• DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1074503

The essential oil of Tanacetum gracile (Accession no. AT-01 termed AT-01 in the manuscript), a cold desert alpine highly aromatic herb, has 40 constituents including lavendulol (21.5 %), lavendulol acetate (1.7 %), alpha-pinene (11.2 %), 1,8-cineole (15.2 %), CIS-beta-ocimene (6.9 %), borneol (6.1 %), limonene (5.1 %) and chamazulene (3.7 %). AT-01 was evaluated for its anticancer activity. It inhibited HL-60 cell proliferation with an IC (50) of 27 microg/mL. Furthermore, AT-01 induced apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells as measured by several biological end points. AT-01 induced apoptotic body formation, enhanced annexinV-FITC binding of the cells, increased sub-G (0) DNA fraction, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsi (mt)) and release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, activated caspase-9 as well as caspase-3, and increased cleavage of PARP in HL-60 cells. Thus, AT-01 induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial dependent pathway in HL-60 cells.