Parkia javanica Extract Induces Apoptosis in S-180 Cells via the Intrinsic Pathway of Apoptosis

ABSTRACTParkia javanica is a leguminous tree, various parts of which are used as food and folklore medicine by the ethnic groups of northeastern India. The present study investigates the in vitro and in vivo anticancer effect of aqueous methanol extract of P. javanica fruit (PJE). HPLC analysis was done to establish the fingerprint chromatogram of PJE and its in vitro radical scavenging activity was measured. PJE caused significant cytotoxicity in sarcoma-180 (S-180), A549, AGS, and MDA-MB435S cancer cells in vitro. Exploration of the mechanistic details in S-180 cells suggested that the reduced cell viability was mediated by induction of apoptosis. Increased expression of proapoptotic proteins such as p53, p21, Bax/Bcl2, cytochrome c (Cyt c), caspase 9, and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, and decrease in proliferative and antiapoptotic markers (Ki-67, Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen [PCNA], Bcl-2) validated the anticancer effect of PJE. A decline in the relative fluorescence emission upon stainin...