OBJECTIVE

To screen the anti-tumor fraction of ethanol extracts from Thymus quinquecostatus Celak and investigate its anti-tumor effect on human leukemia cell line.

METHODS

Ethyl acetate, n-butanol and acetone fractions were separated from the ethanol extracts of wild Thymus quinquecostatus Celak. Growth inhibiting effects of these extracts on human leukemia cell lines K562 and HL-60 were determined by live cell counting and cell growth curve analysis. The possible anti-tumor mechanism was studied by morphological analysis with norcantharidin as a positive control.

RESULTS

Ethyl acetate fraction could significantly inhibit the proliferations of K562 and HL-60 cells, and the inhibiting effect depended on the concentration of ethyl acetate fraction. Ethyl acetate fraction could induce apoptosis of K562 and HL-60 cells. The n-butanol and acetone fractions had no significant inhibiting effect on K562 and HL-60 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethyl acetate fraction is the major anti-tumor fraction in ethanol extracts from Thymus quinquecostatus Celak.