Synergistic Anticancer Effect of Gemcitabine Combined With Impressic Acid or Acankoreanogein in Panc-1 Cells by Inhibiting NF-κB and Stat 3 Activation

Natural products have presented potentiality to improve the outcomes of cancer therapies. Impressic acid (E12-1) and acankoreanogein (E13-1), important activity compounds in Acanthopanax trifoliatus (L.) Merr., show widely biological activities. In this study, we isolated E12-1 and E13-1 from Acanthopanax trifoliatus (L.) Merr., and investigated their improvement effect in gemcitabine (GEM) treatment in Panc-1 cells. The results showed that GEM in combination with E12-1 or E13-1 showed stronger inhibition on the growth and induction of apoptosis in Panc-1 cells compared to GEM, E12-1, or E13-1 alone. GEM in combination with E12-1or E13-1 also strongly inhibited cell migration. Mechanistic investigation showed that GEM in combination with E12-1or E13-1 effectively inhibited the activition of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells and Stat 3. Overall, GEM in combination with E12-1 or E13-1 might be an effective strategy for the prevention of prostate cancer.