Rhizome Extract from Kaempferia parviflora Wall. ex. Baker Induces Apoptosis

Kaempferia parviflora Wall. ex. Baker is a member of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae). In folk medicine of Suriname and Southeast Asia, rhizome is used for treatment of swelling, wounds and diarrhea colic disorder, and as an aphrodisiac (Yenjai et al., 2004). Rhizomes of fingerroot or K. parviflora Wall. ex. Baker are used as food ingredients and made into wine (Nagahara et al., 2002). Alcoholic infusion of K. parviflora Wall. ex. Baker rhizome has been used as a tonic for body pains and gastrointestinal disorders, such as colic and peptic and duodenal ulcers (Yenjai et al., 2004). Apoptosis is a major form of cell death and relevant to chemotherapyand/or radiation-induced cell death in human hematological malignancies. An increase of the apoptotic threshold in leukemia and lymphoma causes treatment resistance (Ghia and Nadler, 1997). Medicinal herbs are of interest to intervene as an additional cancer treatment for a successful therapy. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate cytotoxicity of ethanolic extract of K. parviflora Wall. ex. Baker on human promyelocytic leukemic (HL-60) cells and to investigate the mechanism of cell death.