Shufeng Jiedu Capsule and its active ingredients induce apoptosis, inhibit migration and invasion, and enhances doxorubicin therapeutic efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wei Tang
Tatsuo Sawakami
Ling Rong
Yoshinori Inagaki
Peipei Song
Jufeng Xia
Kiyoshi Hasegawa
Yoshihiro Sakamoto
Journal: Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (2018)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: Combination therapy; Doxorubicin; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Quercetin; Resveratrol
Affiliations: Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan., Department of Respiratory Medicine, Bozhou People's Hospital, Bozhou, Anhui Province, China., Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. Electronic address: .

Abstract:  Background: Shufeng Jiedu Capsule (SFJDC), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used widely as antiviral, antibacterial, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Previous studies indicated that some active ingredients of Shufeng Jiedu Capsule, such as resveratrol and quercetin, could suppress hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells through various signaling pathways. However, anti-HCC activity of SFJDC as a complementary medicine remains unexplored. Here, we use a combination of Shufeng Jiedu Capsule and doxorubicin to treat HCC cells and investigated the effects and mechanisms of SFJDC and its ingredientsin vitro. Methods: In this study, two HCC cell lines, HepG2 and HepG2.2.15, were employed and all cells were separated into seven groups: doxorubicin group, SFJDC group, combination of doxorubicin and SFJDC group, resveratrol group, quercetin group, resveratrol and quercetin group, and control group. Through this research, the cellular functional experiments, such as MTT assay, Hoechst 33,258 staining, would healing assay, and transwell assay, were took to observe the effects of those agents on proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion of cells. Then, apoptosis and invasion related genes and proteins were detected by real-time PCR and western blot to illuminate the signaling pathways. Results: The combination group induced more significant apoptosis and inhibition of migration and invasion by affecting proteins and mRNA of apoptosis, migration, and invasion related elements, such as Bcl-2, Bax, mTOR, and NF-?B. Furthermore, the research suggested SFJDC, as a mixture of a number of ingredients, had stronger activities than particular component or simple mixture of a few components. Conclusions: SFJDC and its active ingredients could play a role as complementary medicine to increase antitumor effect of doxorubicin by targeting mitochondrial, Akt/mTOR, and NF-?B signaling pathways. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
  Background: Shufeng Jiedu Capsule (SFJDC), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been used widely as antiviral, antibacterial, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory drugs. A wonder drug recently cited for efficient treatment of covid-19. However, the trust factor is at the bottom: Figure 5A: Microscopy data has been duplicated and presented as something else. Figure 5E: Microscopy data has been duplicated, manipulated and presented as something else. Figure 6: Several western blot show discontinuities. Figure 7: Results from two different cell lines are surprisingly similar. ![file] , 
 #1 Fig 4A B. ![file] , 
 #2 Figs 6A1 B1 and 4A B compared. ![file] There is little to be gained by tracking down the sources of other fragments. ...I ll add, though, that the p-mTOR and NF-kappaB bands from 6A1 are more similar than I would expect from the difference in molecular weights, almost as if the latter is just an over-exposed and vertically-stretched version of the former. ![file] , 
 #1 Fig 5E - you missed a pair. ![file] ,