Echinacoside suppresses pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell growth by inducing apoptosis via the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

The clinical application of natural products derived from traditional Chinese medicine has gained attention in cancer chemotherapeutics. Echinacoside (ECH), one of the phenylethanoids, isolated from the stems of Cistanches salsa (a Chinese herbal medicine) has tissue‑protective and anti‑apoptotic effects on the central nervous system. However, it remains largely elusive whether ECH possesses tumor suppressive activity. In the present study, it was demonstrated that ECH can markedly inhibit the proliferation of pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells by inducing the production of reactive oxygen species and the perturbation of mitochondrial membrane potential and thus triggering apoptosis. Furthermore, it was elucidated that ECH represses tumor cell growth through modulating MAPK activity. In conclusion, this study reveals an novel function of ECH in preventing cancer development, and implies that the usage of ECH could be a potential chemotherapeutic strategy for cancer.