Phytotherapy research : PTR
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Schizandrin is one of the main dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans present in the fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Schisandraceae). Biological activities including hepatoprotective, antiviral and neuroprotective effects of schizandrin and other dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans have been reported previously. However, the antiproliferative effect of schizandrin against human cancer cells has been poorly determined to date. ⋯ Schizandrin exhibited growth inhibitory activities in cultured human breast cancer cells, and the effect was the more profound in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive T47D cells than in ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. When treated with the compound in T47D cells, schizandrin induced the accumulation of a cell population in the G0/G1 phase, which was further demonstrated by the induction of CDK inhibitors p21 and p27 and the inhibition of the expression of cell cycle checkpoint proteins including cyclin D1, cyclin A, CDK2 and CDK4. These results suggest that schizandrin inhibits cell proliferation through the induction of cell cycle arrest with modulating cell cycle-related proteins in human breast cancer cells.
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To study the effectiveness of pomegranate juice on osteoarthritis, mono-iodoacetate induced loss of articular cartilage in the mouse tibiofemoral joint was used as a model. Mono-iodoacetate is an inhibitor of glycolysis which promotes osteoarthritis similar to that noted in human osteoarthritis. The histopathology of the subchondral bone and cartilage of mouse knee joints treated with a single intra-articular injection of mono-iodoacetate (0.1 mg) and killed at 1, 14 and 28 days post injection was investigated. ⋯ Chondrocyte damage was significantly prevented, with proteoglycan less affected, especially in the groups receiving a high amount of pomegranate juice. No cell proliferation or inflammatory cells were detected in the synovial fluid. The effectiveness of pomegranate juice in improving histopathological damage is emphasized and its chondroprotective effect in vivo highlighted.