The Anti-Tumor Effects ofOenothera odorataExtract Are Mediated by Inhibition of Glycolysis and Cellular Respiration in Cancer Cells

Abstract

Cancer is caused by uncontrolled cell division and is a leading cause of mortality worldwide.Oenothera odorata(O.odorata) extract is used in herbal medicine to inhibit inflammation, but its potential anti-tumor properties have not been fully evaluated. Here, we demonstrated thatO. odorataextract inhibits the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma and melanoma cell lines In Vitro, and also inhibits the growth of melanoma cells In Vivo. After partitioning the extract withn-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, andn-butanol, it was found that the butanol-soluble (OOB) and water-soluble (OOW) fractions ofO. odorataextract are effective at inhibiting tumor cell growth In Vivo although OOW is more effective than OOB. Interestingly, these fractions did not inhibit the growth of non-cancerous cells. The anti-proliferative effects of the OOW fraction were found to be mediated by inhibition of glycolysis and cellular respiration. UPLC of both fractions showed two major common peaks, which were predicted to be hydrolyzable tannin-related compounds. Taken together, these data suggest thatO. odorataextract has anti-tumor properties, and the molecular mechanism involves metabolic alterations and inhibition of cell proliferation.O. odorataextract therefore holds promise as a novel natural product for the treatment of cancer.