The antiproliferative potential of isolated emodin and aloe-emodin from Rheum ribes on different cancer cell lines

Abstract

Herbal compounds are important resources that used in the treatment of many diseases, and are inspiring in drug design and development. Rheum ribes, a perennial native plant, has potentially diverse medicinal effects, including antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-tumor activity. The key molecules associated with anticancer activity of R. ribes in tumor formation still remains unclear. The present study was aimed to elucidate the antiproliferative effects of two purified compounds, emodin and aloe-emodin, from R. ribes. In our study, chromatographic separation was used to purification of compounds. Experimental 1D and 2D 1H and 13C-NMR spectra helped us to confirm the chemical structures of emodin and aloe-emodin. The viability of human glioblastoma cell line (U373), human breast carcinoma cells (MCF-7), and human colorectal cancer cell line (HT-29) were detected by WST-1 proliferation assay as dose- and time-dependent. The isolated emodin and aloe-emodin from R. ribes, reduced viability of human glioblastoma, breast and colorectal cancer cell lines in dose- and time-dependent manner significantly. These antiproliferative effects may contribute as a possible strategy to the development of new therapeutic approaches in the treatment of cancer.