Effect of purified α-mangostin from mangosteen pericarp on cytotoxicity, cell cycle arrest and apoptotic gene expression in human cancer cells

α-Mangostin from pericarp of Garcinia mangostana L. was purified and investigated on the anti-perliferation, anti-cancer activity on apoptotic-related gene expression and cell cycle arrest against human cancer cells. αMangostin was identified by C-NMR, DEPT 135-NMR, IR and MS. The peak of α-mangostin from HPLC chromatogram was monitored at 316 nm and displayed at retention time 20.9 minute. Ten human cancer cells showed the cytotoxicity by MTT assay after exposure to α-mangostin. Real-time RT-PCR was used to measure the apoptotic-related genes expression and flow cytometer was performed to analyze the cell cycle arrest. The ED50 on cytotoxicity of α-mangostin obtained from 5 breast cancer cells were between 8.21-15.41 μg/ml; from 2 ovarian cancer cells were 8.15-33.4 μg/ml; from 1 liver hepatocellular carcinoma cell was 6.12±0.32 μg/ml and from 2 colon cancer cells were 8.63-18.98 μg/ml. The Bax/Bcl-2 ratios were increased in all cancer cells suggested that it might induce cell death by apoptotic pathway. α-Mangostin demonstrated at G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest by flow cytrometric analysis. α-Mangostin showed anti-proliferation activities to all 10 cancer cells. This compound should be further investigated for understanding the mechanisms of action and in vivo model study to justify that α-mangostin is effective for prevention and treatment of cancers.