Synergistic Inhibition Of Theaflavins Against The Growth Of Carcinoma Cells With Ascorbic Acid

In the present study inhibitions of theaflavins and its monomers againstthe growth of four human cancercells in vitro were concerned. Synergistic inhibition of theaflavins and ascorbic acid against the growth of A549 cells was studied. Beside these, we determined some effects of some natural products on human cancer cells A549. The results as below: The inhibition effects of TFs, TFDG, TF2B and UC on the growth of human liver cancer BEL-7402 cells, gastric cancer MKN-28 cells were investigated by MTT assay. The results showed that these four compounds significantly inhibited the growth of both two kinds of cancer cells, and effective in inhibition rate in a dose dependent manner. The IC₅₀ values were 0.18, 0.16, 0.11 and 0.08mM on BEL-7402 for TFs, TFDG, TF2B and UC, and 0.58, 0.25, 0.14 and 0.22 mM on BEL-7402 for TFs, TFDG, TF2B and UC, respectively.EGCG, GSE, PBE, TFDG and TFs also showed significant inhibitions on the growth of A549 except VCE. The rank of inhibition ability of each compoundagainst A549 in vitro as following: EGCG, TFs >GSE>PBE, TFDG >TF.In this study We got the different result with previous research, ascorbic acid has no effect on the growth of A549 cells. It was found that ascorbic acid could increased the inhibition of theaflavins at least 20% higher to compare with controls against the growth of A549 cells. TFc showed thehighest synergistic effect with ascorbic acid in all treatments, .however, ascorbic acid no good positive action withEGCG. Whereas, there is no significant different inhibition on the growth of A549 cells when same compound to combined with different concentration of ascorbic acid.The changes of apoptosis induced by TFc and TFc with ascorbic acid wereobserved with electron microscopy. We discerned the typical apoptotic morphology including and condensation into dense granules, and the formation of apoptotic bodied including condensation into dense granules and blocks.A typical DNA degradation associated with apoptosis was determined by DNA agarose electrophoresis. Typical DNA ladders was very clear, this is differ from necrotic.In conclusion, theaflavins and theaflavin monomers can induce the apoptosis of cancer cells. Ascorbic acid has the synergistic effect with theaflavinsagainst the growth of A549 cells. We found characters of apoptosis and damages of cytoplasm memberance in A549 cells culture system, and cytoplasm memberance might be the important target point of theaflavins, ascorbic and their complex.