Antiproliferative and Antiangiogenic Properties of Horse Chestnut Extract

This study was designed to examine the in vitro antiproliferative effect of the horse chestnut extract (HCE) on cancer cell lines. Furthermore, we have investigated the in vitro effect of HCE on some angiogenic events by using human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The cell proliferation was evaluated by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and anchorage‐independent growth by colony‐forming assay. To understand the growth inhibitory effects, carcinoma cell lines (Jurkat, CEM, HeLa, and MCF‐7) were treated with various concentrations of HCE. Incubation of Jurkat, CEM, HeLa, and MCF‐7 cancer cells with HCE at 125 µg/mL for 72 h caused 93.7%, 32.3%, 20.4% and 40.4% reduction in cell survival. Colony‐forming assay also confirmed growth‐inhibitory effects of the compound studied. In HeLa HCE‐treated cells, we found a significant increase in cells having sub‐G₀/G₁ DNA content which is considered to be a marker of apoptotic cell death. Apoptosis was also further confirmed by DNA fragmentation analysis.Furthermore, HCE inhibited migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells as well as decreased secretion of matrix metalloproteinase and vascular endothelial growth factor.In conclusion, the present study has assessed the in vitro antiproliferative/antiangiogenic potential of HCE. These results generate a rationale for in vivo efficacy studies with horse chestnut in preclinical cancer models. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.