Mylabris phalerata (MP) is an insect that has been used for the treatment of cancer in oriental medicine. To evaluate the anticancer activity of Mylabris phalerata, We measured the cytotoxicity of Mylabris phalerata solvent fractions such as MC, EA, B...
Mylabris phalerata (MP) is an insect that has been used for the treatment of cancer in oriental medicine. To evaluate the anticancer activity of Mylabris phalerata, We measured the cytotoxicity of Mylabris phalerata solvent fractions such as MC, EA, BuOH and residual layers on U937, human monocytic leukemia cells. Of those fractions BuOH layer of Mylabris phalerata was the moat effective with IC50 of 140 μg/ml. It effectively caused DNA fragmentation from the concentration of 50μg/ml, showed apoptotic nucleus by tenet assay and expressed apototic portion stained by Annexin-V It also induced the activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of the substrate poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). These results suggest BuOH layer of Mylabris phalerata exerts anticancer activity by induction of apoptosis via activation of caspase-3 protease.