Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Flower Ethanol Extract Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Human Ovarian Cancer SK-OV-3 Cells

This study investigated the proapoptotic effect of ethanol extracts obtained from dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) flower on human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 cells. Cells were treated with dandelion flowers ethanol extract (DFE) ranging from 1.5625 to 100 mu g/mL tor 24 hr. Significant antiproliferative effects of DFE were first observed from at 6.25 mu g/mL (p<0.05) and this inhibition showed in a dose-dependent manner. When cells were treated with more than 6.25 mu g/mL DFE, cell-cycle analysis showed that DFE caused an increase in the percentage Of sub-G0/G1 cells and arrested at the S and G2/M phase in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, apoptosis induction by DFE involved p53 activation and bax upregulation as well as downregulation of bcl-2. Our findings indicate that DFE resulted in apoptotic cell death, Suggesting that DFE possesses potential anticancer properties.