[Protective effect of Pinus massoniana bark extracts against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in human embryonic kidney cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the in vitro protective effect of Pinus massoniana bark extracts (PMBE) against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293), and preliminarily study its mechanism. METHOD: Human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293) were cultured in vitro. The MTT assay was adopted to test the effect of PMBE and cisplatin on growth of HEK293 cells, and the protective effect of PMBE on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity of HEK293, and then detect the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) content, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and activity of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). RESULT: PMBE could promote growth of HEK293 cells at low concentrations, but generate slight nephrotoxicity at high concentration. Cisplatin could inhibit growth of HEK293 cells, increase ROS and MDA content, while reducing SOD, CAT and TrxR. The pre-protective PMBE was added to reduce cisplatin's injury to HEK293 cells, ROS, MDA and GSH content, SOD, CAT and TrxR within certain range. CONCLUSION: PMBE at specific concentration has the protective effect in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in HEK293 cells. Its mechanism may be related to PMBE's antioxidant activity.

Antitumor effects of Pinus massoniana bark extract in murine sarcoma S180 both in vitro and in vivo.

Pinus massoniana bark extract (PMBE) is a mixture of flavonoids, and showed a capability of inducing cell apoptosis; however, its properties have not yet been fully investigated. This paper evaluates the antitumor effects of PMBE in murine sarcoma S180 both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the growth inhibition of S180 cells was concentration dependent on PMBE as shown by the CCK-8 assay. The AO/EB staining and flow cytometry assay showed that PMBE induced S180 cell apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis revealed that the cells in the S phase were decreased by treatment with PMBE. In vivo, the treatment of 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg PMBE reduced the tumor weight and volume of S180-bearing NIH mice by 9%-67% and 13%-68%, respectively. Peripheral leukocyte count and lymphoproliferation were increased significantly after treatment with PMBE. Our results suggest that PMBE inhibits the tumor cell growth by inducing cell apoptosis and improving lymphoproliferation.

Pinus massoniana bark extract protects against oxidative damage in L-02 hepatic cells and mice.

The hepatoprotective activity of Pinus massoniana bark extract (PMBE) against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced damage in normal human liver L-02 cells and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced acute hepatotoxicity in mice was investigated. The L-02 cells were pre-treated with PMBE for 24 hours prior to exposure to 0.5 mM H2O2 for 3 or 24 hours. The cell viability, level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH), and the catalase (CAT) activity were evaluated. For in vivo experiments, mice were divided into groups and PMBE administered orally, after which each group was assigned a further treatment. Histopathological examination, the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and GSH, the liver tissue levels of MDA and GSH, the activities of CAT and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), were evaluated. PMBE treatment decreased the level of MDA and increased the cell viability, GSH content and CAT activity in H2O2 treated L-02 cells treated for 3 hours. PMBE obviously decreased serum ALT, AST, ALP, and liver tissue MDA, while increasing serum GSH, and liver tissue CAT and GSH-Px activities. In conclusion, PMBE treatment prevents H2O2 and CCl4-induced liver damage, and therefore could have a potential clinical usage.