Enhanced induction of mitochondrial damage and apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells by the Ganoderma lucidum and Duchesnea chrysantha extracts

Cancer Letter, 2007 Feb 8; 246(1-2):210-7. Epub 2006 Mar 29

Enviromental Radiation Research Division, Department of Radiation Biology, Korea Atomic Energy Research Insitute, Yusong, Daejeon, South Korea

Combined treatment with the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum and the herb Duchesnea chrysantha extracts (GDE) causes a synergistic induction of mitochondrial damage and apoptosis in HL-60 cells. GDE treatment is selectively toxic to HL-60 leukemia cells whereas no cytotoxic effect is observed in normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. GDE-induced apoptosis is associated with Bcl-2 down-regulation, Bax translocation, mitochondrial cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation, suggesting that apoptosis by this combination occurs through the mitochondria-dependent pathway. The present findings suggest that this combination merits further investigation as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of cancer.

PMID: 16574319 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]