In vitro antitumor mechanisms of various Scutellaria extracts and constituent flavonoids.

Scutellaria is a traditional herbal remedy with potential anti-cancer activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate anticancer mechanisms of thirteen Scutellaria species and analyze their leaf, stem and root extracts for levels of common biologically active flavonoids: apigenin, baicalein, baicalin, chrysin, scutellarein, and wogonin. Malignant glioma, breast carcinoma and prostate cancer cells were used to determine tumor-specific effects of Scutellaria on cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle progression, via the MTT assay and flow cytometry-based apoptosis and cell cycle analysis. The extracts and individual flavonoids inhibited the proliferation of malignant glioma and breast carcinoma cells without affecting primary or non-malignant cells. The flavonoids exhibited different mechanisms of anti-tumor activity as well as positive interactions. The antitumor mechanisms involved induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G1/G2. Of the extracts tested, leaf extracts of S. angulosa, S. integrifolia, S. ocmulgee and S. scandens were found to have strong anticancer activity. This study provides basis for further mechanistic and translational studies into adjuvant therapy of malignant tumors using Scutellaria leaf tissues.