Growth inhibition of stilbenoids in Welwitschiaceae and Gnetaceae through induction of apoptosis in human leukemia HL60 cells

Abstract

Fifty-six stilbenoids isolated from the families of Welwitschiaceae and Gnetaceae were screened for growth inhibitory activity against HL60 cells, and two compounds (gnemonol G and gnetin I) among them exhibited a strong activity with IC50 of 10.0 μM and 12.2 μM at 48 h incubation, respectively. The growth suppression by gnemonol G and gnetin I was found to be in part due to apoptosis which was assessed by morphological findings such as nuclear condensation and fragmentation, and DNA ladder formation in human leukemia HL60 cells. © 2006 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.