Aqueous extract of anticancer drug CRUEL herbomineral formulation capsules exerts anti-proliferative effects in renal cell carcinoma cell lines

Abstract

Purpose: Anti-cancer activity evaluation of aqueous extract of CRUEL (herbomineral formulation) capsules on renal cell carcinoma cell lines, and exploration of mechanisms of cell death. Materials and Methods: To detect the cytotoxic dose concentration in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells, MTT assays were performed and morphological changes after treatment were observed by inverted microscopy. Drug effects against RCC cell lines were assessed with reference to cell cycle distribution (flow cytometry), anti-metastatic potential (wound healing assay) and autophagy(RT-PCR). Results: CRUEL showed anti-proliferative effects against RCC tumor cell lines with an IC50 value of approximately 4mg/mL in vitro., while inducing cell cycle arrest at S-phase of cell cycle and inhibiting wound healing. LC3 was found to be up-regulated after drug treatment in RT-PCR resulting in an autophagy mode of cell death. Conclusions: This study provides the experimental validation for antitumor activity of CRUEL.