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Dietary flavonoids are currently receiving considerable attention in developing novel cancer-preventive approaches because of their potential capacities to actively induce apoptosis of cancer cells. In our previous report a flavonoid fraction, which consisted mainly of protocatechuic acid, fustin, fisetin, sulfuretin, and butein and named RCMF (RVS chloroform-methanol fraction), was prepared from a crude acetone eextract of Rhus verniciflua Stokes(RVS) that is traditionally used as food additive and herbal medicine. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the RCMF on cell proliferation and apoptosis using SV40-transformed tumorigenic hepatocytes, BNL SV A.8. Tritium uptake assay showing the proliferative capacity of the cells was strongly suppressed in the presence of RCMF. This anti-proliferative efect was further confirmed through trypan blue exclusion. RCMF-mediated suppression of cell growth was verified to be apoptotic. based on the increase in DNA fragmentation, low fluorescence intensity in nuclei after propidium iodide stainng, and the apperrance of laddering. Collectively, this study demonstrated that RCMF can be approached as a potential agent that is capable of significantly inhibiting cell growth of hepatic cancer cells.
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