Brucine promotes apoptosis in cervical cancer cells (ME‐180) via suppression of inflammation and cell proliferation by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Abstract Brucine are the main constituents of Strychnos nux‐vomica . Earlier reports have determined brucine shows anti‐inflammatory, analgesic and excellent anti‐tumor drug. Even though its anticervical cancer cells remains not clearly evaluated. So that, we hypothesized the anti‐cervical cancer activity of brucine against the cervical (ME‐180) cells. Brucine inhibited the inflammation, cell proliferation and promoted rate of apoptotic cell death ad reduced the mitochondrial potential, which is evidenced by respective (AO/EB, Rh‐123, and PI) staining. Furthermore ELISA and real time PCR reaction determined that brucine were down regulated inflammatory (TNF‐α, NF‐kB, IL‐6 & COX‐2) cell proliferation (Cyclin D1) and apoptotic marker Bax, caspase‐3, PI3K (phosphoinosital 3 kinase), AKT, mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and over expression Bcl‐2, associated death promoter. These findings were confirmed and finally suggested that brucine inhibited inflammation, cell proliferation and promoted the apoptosis through the down‐regulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Taken together, these data were exhibited brucine as a good therapeutic agents for the prevention of anticancer cervical cancer drugs.