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Planta Med 1998; 64(4): 328-331
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-957444
Papers
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Inhibitory Activity of Boswellic Acids from Boswellia serrata against Human Leukemia HL-60 Cells in Culture

Yu Shao1 , 2 , Chi-Tang Ho2 , Chee-Kok Chin1 , Vladimir Badmaev3 , Wei Ma4 , Mou-Tuan Huang4
  • 1Department of Plant Science, Cook College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A.
  • 2Department of Food Science, Cook College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A.
  • 3Sabinsa Corporation, 122 Ethel Road West, Piscataway, NJ, U.S.A.
  • 4Department of Chemical Biology, Laboratory for Cancer Research, College of Pharmacy, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, U.S.A.
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Publication History

1997

1997

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

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Abstract

Four major triterpene acids including β-boswellic acid (1), 3-O-acetyl-β-boswellic acid (2), 11-keto-β-boswellic acid (3), and 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (4) were isolated from the gum resin of Boswellia serrata and examined for their in vitro antitumor activity. They inhibited the synthesis of DNA, RNA and protein in human leukemia HL-60 cells in a dose dependent manner with IC50 values ranging from 0.6 to 7.1 µM. Among them, compound 4 induced the most pronounced inhibitory effects on DNA, RNA and protein synthesis with IC50 values of 0.6, 0.5, and 4.1 µM, respectively. The effect of 4 on DNA synthesis was found to be irreversible. Compound 4 significantly inhibited the cellular growth of HL-60 cells, but did not affect cell viability.

Key words

Boswellia serrata - Burseraceae - boswellic acids - triterpene acids - antileukemia - macromolecule synthesis - cellular growth