Bee propolis is cytotoxic against a human pancreatic cancer cell line. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Chemical constituents of propolis from Myanmar and their preferential cytotoxicity against a human pancreatic cancer cell line.
J Nat Prod.2009 Jul 2. PMID: 19572611
A methanolic extract of propolis obtained in Myanmar was found to inhibit PANC-1 human pancreatic cancer cells preferentially under nutrient-deprived conditions (NDM), with a PC(50) value of 9.3 mug/mL. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the extract led to the isolation of two new cycloartane-type triterpenes, (22Z,24E)-3-oxocycloart-22,24-dien-26-oic acid (1) and (24E)-3-oxo-27,28-dihydroxycycloart-24-en-26-oic acid (2), together with 13 cycloartanes (3-13) and four known prenylated flavanones (14-17). Among these, compound 1 exhibited the most potent preferential cytotoxicity (PC(50) 4.3 muM) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, 1 induced apoptosis-like morphological changes of PANC-1 cells within 24 h of treatment.