Angiogenesis inhibition in vascular endothelial cells by terpenoid compounds from Bletilla striata is via apoptosis pathway.

The inhibitive effects on angiogenesis and the potential mechanism by terpenoids from Bletilla striata were investigated in the study. Terpenoids were separated and purified from Bletilla striata by extraction and chromatography. The terpenoid and its crude extracts were used to treat on blood vessel of chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM), as well as human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). Our results demonstrated that the crude extracts containing the terpenoids could inhibit CAM angiogenesis and pure terpenoid sample could prohibit HUVEC proliferation and induce HUVEC undergoing apoptosis, which showed an apparent apoptotic characterizations, such as cell shrinking, blebbing of cell membrane, nucleus cracking, chromatin condensation and margination, apoptotic body formation and DNA degradation. Therefore, the inhibition on angiogenesis by terpenoids from Bletilla striata is depended on the induction of apoptosis to endothelial cells.