Multioside, an active ingredient from Adonis amurensis, displays anti-cancer activity through autophagosome formation

Abstract Background Adonis amurensis Regel & Radde, commonly found in East Asia, has been traditionally used to treat cardiac insufficiency and edema. Although this plant extract has been shown to regulate cell growth and neovascularization, the anti-cancer mechanism of A. amurensis has not been fully investigated. Purpose In this study, we aimed to examine the anti-cancer activity of A. amurensis and identify its underlying mechanism. Methods The growth of cancer cells was evaluated by MTT and hollow fiber assays. A cancer xenograft nude mouse model was used to assess the anti-cancer activities in vivo. Autophagic activity was measured by the detection of autophagosome formation and by performing a monodansylcadaverine (MDC) assay. Result A. amurensis extract showed potent anti-cancer activity both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, the treatment of cancer cells with A. amurensis extract dramatically increased the formation of autophagosomes and was involved in the activation of multiple signaling components including AKT, ERK, and MAPK. Furthermore, we isolated an active ingredient, Multioside, which exhibited strong anti-cancer activity through autophagy. Conclusion A. amurensis displays anti-cancer activity that is mediated by the activation of autophagy, suggesting that A. amurensis could be a useful therapeutic anti-cancer agent.