Molecular mechanisms of antiproliferative effects induced by Schisandra-derived dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans (+)-deoxyschisandrin and (-)-gomisin N in human tumour cell lines.

A different behavior of the two dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans (+)-deoxyschisandrin (1) and (-)-gomisin N (2), from Schisandra chinensis fruits, was observed against two human tumour cell lines, (2008 and LoVo). These lignans inhibited cell growth in a dose-dependent manner on both cell lines, but inducing different types of cell death. In particular, (+)-deoxyschisandrin (1) caused apoptosis in colon adenocarcinoma cells (LoVo) but not in ovarian adenocarcinoma cells (2008), while (-)-gomisin N (2) induced apoptosis on both the cell lines used. Mitochondrial-mediated pathway was not involved in apoptotic stimuli. Both compounds caused G2/M phase cell growth arrest correlated with tubulin polymerization.