Effects of Boswellia carterii volatile oils on proliferation and apoptosis of liver cancer cell SMMC-7721

Aim: To study the effect of volatile oils from Boswellia carterii Birdwood on the proliferation and apoptosis in human liver cancer SMMC-7721 cells; Methods: Effects of proliferation were detected on SMMC-7721 by volatile oils from B. carterii with MTT assay; and the morphologic changes of cell were observed using acirdine staining; DNA fragmentation was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis; inhibitory rate and the change of cell-cycle were assessed by Flow Cytometry(FCM) ; the change of expression of protein bax and bcl-2 were observed by volatile oils from B. carterii with indirect immunofluorescence microscope. Results: Volatile oils from B. carterii could inhibit the growth of the concentration of 0. 7, 0.07, 0.007, 0.000 7, 0.000 07 mg·mL-1 for 24 h, which depended on the concentration. At the concentration of 0. 07 mg·mL-1 for 48 h or 72h, the "DNA ladder" was clearly observed by agarose gel electrophoresis, apoptosis peak was detected by FCM, and cause the G1 phase block of SMMC-7721 cells. Importantly, up-regulating of apopotosis gene expression of bax was detected, while the protein level of bcl-2 have no obvious change. Conclusion: Volatile oils from B. carterii could inhibit the reproduction of liver cancer cells SMMC-7721, and may induce apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells through up-regulating the expression of bax/bcl-2, while its induced apoptosis cells is cell-cycle dependent.