For decades, the traditional Chinese medicine preparation, Huachansu Capsule (HCS), has been applied to a variety of solid tumors and leukemias with significant curative effects. More importantly, HCS has few side effects on cardiovascular and gastrointestinal functions in patients. However, the potential mechanism of the anti-tumor activity of HCS has not been fully revealed. The current study investigated the in vivo and in vitro effects of HCS on the proliferation and apoptosis of human gastric cancer (GC) cells and explored the underlying mechanism.

HCS was first diluted to varying concentrations followed by the treatment to MGC-803 and BGC-823 GC cells. Cell proliferation was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Cell invasion and migration were assessed using Transwell membrane chambers. Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in GC cells induced by HCS were detected by flow cytometry. Western blotting assays were used to measure the influence of HCS on apoptosis-related proteins, including B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), and Cleaved-Caspase-3. Additionally, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway-related proteins such as phosphorylated (p)-Akt, p-mTOR and p-4E-BP1 were detected. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the microstructure of apoptotic cells. An animal imaging technique was used to analyze the influence of HCS on the growth of GC cells in vivo and immunohistochemistry assays were performed to investigate the signal transduction pathways influenced by HCS.

HCS significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of MGC-803 and BGC-823 GC cells. It also induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and increased the cell apoptotic rate. Additionally, the HCS treatment downregulated the protein levels of Bcl-2, but upregulated the protein expression of Bax and cleaved-caspase 3. Furthermore, HCS downregulated the levels of p-Akt, p-mTOR and p-4E-BP1, suggesting that HCS inhibited tumor growth of GC via suppressing the Akt/mTOR pathway.

This study indicated that HCS has significant anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects both in vitro and in vivo, and that HCS can inhibit tumor growth of GC via suppressing the Akt/mTOR pathway and induce apoptosis through the intrinsic pathway. Our study provides a scientific basis for the clinical application of HCS.