OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on the proliferation and apoptosis of rat glioma C6 cells. METHODS: DHA (1~ 125 micromol/L) was added into the cultured C6 cells and incubated for 24, 48 and 72 h. The cell proliferation and viability were determined by trypan blue exclusion assay and 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2, 5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. The apoptosis was detected by Hoechst 33342 staining. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured by H(2)DCFDA oxidative reaction. RESULTS: DHA 5 ~ 125 micromol/L inhibited the proliferation of C6 cells in concentration- and time-dependent manners, the IC50 at 48 h was 23.4 micromol/L. DHA 5 ~ 25 micromol/L induced C6 cell apoptosis (P<0.05), and 5 ~ 125 micromol/L increased the intracellular ROS (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: DHA inhibits the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of C6 cells; its cytotoxic effect may result from the increase of intercellular ROS.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on the proliferation and apoptosis of rat glioma C6 cells. METHODS: DHA (1~ 125 micromol/L) was added into the cultured C6 cells and incubated for 24, 48 and 72 h. The cell proliferation and viability were determined by trypan blue exclusion assay and 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2, 5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay. The apoptosis was detected by Hoechst 33342 staining. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured by H(2)DCFDA oxidative reaction. RESULTS: DHA 5 ~ 125 micromol/L inhibited the proliferation of C6 cells in concentration- and time-dependent manners, the IC50 at 48 h was 23.4 micromol/L. DHA 5 ~ 25 micromol/L induced C6 cell apoptosis (P<0.05), and 5 ~ 125 micromol/L increased the intracellular ROS (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: DHA inhibits the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of C6 cells; its cytotoxic effect may result from the increase of intercellular ROS.