Antiproliferative potential of Artemisia capillaris polysaccharide against human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

One water-soluble polysaccharide fraction (WACP) was purified from the Artemisia capillaris by DEAE-cellulose anion-exchange and Sephacryl S-400 gel-permeation chromatography. Based on gas chromatography (GC) analysis, WACP was an arabinogalactan (AG), consisting of arabinose and galactose in the ratio of 4:2. Its molecular weight was about 5.8 × 104 Da. The present study demonstrated the anticancer potential of WACP on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cells and elucidated its possible mechanisms. MTT and flow cytometric analysis identified that WACP had a potent anti-proliferation activity on CNE-2 cells by inducing apoptosis, which was parallel with the morphological changes of CNE-2 cells under inverted microscope. In addition, WACP triggered the apoptosis via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, which included the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, release of cytochrome c and activation of caspase-3/9. Taken together, these results suggest that WACP has anticancer potential in the treatment of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma.