Chinese herbal extract Astragalus radix potentiates human ovarian cancer cell cytotoxicity by aggravated ROS production and apoptosis

Abstract

Background: Ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal gynaecological malignancies due to its late diagnosis, and resistance to conventional therapies. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is increasingly explored for its potential in cancer treatment. This study investigates the anti-tumor effects of a Chinese herbal extract on an ovarian cancer cell line in vitro.

Methods: The ovarian cancer cell lines OVCAR-3 and SK-OV-3 treated with varying concentrations of the Chinese herbal extract (Astragalus radix) at different course of time. Cell viability using the MTT assay, and apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry after staining with Annexin V/PI staining. Molecular docking and dynamics were carried out to examine the interaction of quinacetol with a well-known target of ovarian cancer, i.e., phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K).

Results: The Chinese herbal extract Astragalus radix significantly reduced the viability of ovarian cancer cells in a time- and dose- dependent way. Flow cytometry analysis revealed increased apoptotic rates in ovarian cancer cells compared to controls. Quinacetol was found to interact at active site of PI3K with binding energy of -6.9 kcal/mol. The PI3K-quinacetol complex was stable at physiological conditions as evident from molecular simulation studies.

Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate that the Chinese herbal extract (Astragalus radix) exhibits potent anti-tumor effects against ovarian cancer cells in vitro, highlighting its potential as an adjunct or alternative therapeutic option. Further in vivo studies in animal models and clinical trials are warranted to explore the efficacy and safety of this herbal treatment in ovarian cancer patients.

Keywords: Apoptosis; Chinese traditional medicine; Herb; Malignant ovary cancer; Molecular docking; Ovarian cancer.