Protein Information

Name caspase 3
Synonyms Apopain; CASP 3; CASP3; CPP 32; CPP32; CPP32B; Caspase 3; Caspase 3 precursor…

Compound Information

Name strychnine
CAS strychnidin-10-one

Reference List

PubMed Abstract RScore(About this table)
16442763 Deng XK, Yin W, Li WD, Yin FZ, Lu XY, Zhang XC, Hua ZC, Cai BC: The anti-tumor effects of alkaloids from the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica on HepG2 cells and its possible mechanism. J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Jun 30;106(2):179-86. Epub 2006 Jan 26.

To screen the anti-tumor effects of the four alkaloids: brucine, strychnine, brucine N-oxide and isostrychnine from the seed of Strychnos nux-vomica, MTT assay was used to examine the growth inhibitory effects of these alkaloids on human hepatoma cell line (HepG2).
Immunoblot results revealed that brucine significantly decreased the protein expression level of cyclooxygenase-2, whereas increased the expression caspase-3 as well as the caspase-3-like protease activity in HepG2 cells, suggesting the involvement of cyclooxygenase-2 and caspase-3 in the pro-apoptotic effects exerted by brucine.
2(0,0,0,2) Details
17386936 Wang GH, Jiang ZL, Fan XJ, Zhang L, Li X, Ke KF: Neuroprotective effect of taurine against focal cerebral ischemia in rats possibly mediated by activation of both GABAA and glycine receptors. Neuropharmacology. 2007 Apr;52(5):1199-209. Epub 2007 Mar 26.

Nissl staining was used for histological observation, and immunohistochemistry and Western-blot analysis for detecting the activated caspase-3 expression.
The neuroprotective effect of taurine was partly blunted by strychnine or bicuculline alone, and almost completely blocked by coapplication of both antagonists of glycine and GABA (A) receptors.
3(0,0,0,3) Details
17449162 Yin W, Deng XK, Yin FZ, Zhang XC, Cai BC: The cytotoxicity induced by brucine from the seed of Strychnos nux-vomica proceeds via apoptosis and is mediated by cyclooxygenase 2 and caspase 3 in SMMC 7221 cells. Food Chem Toxicol. 2007 Sep;45(9):1700-8. Epub 2007 Mar 14.

To study the cytotoxicity of four alkaloids: brucine, strychnine, brucine N-oxide and isostrychnine from nux vomica on SMMC 7721 cells and their possible mechanisms, MET assay was used to examine the growth inhibitory effects of these alkaloids.
2(0,0,0,2) Details
16443926 Deng X, Yin F, Lu X, Cai B, Yin W: The apoptotic effect of brucine from the seed of Strychnos nux-vomica on human hepatoma cells is mediated via Bcl-2 and Ca2+ involved mitochondrial pathway. Toxicol Sci. 2006 May;91(1):59-69. Epub 2006 Jan 27.

In an attempt to dissect the mechanism of Strychnos nux-vomica, a commonly used Chinese folk medicine in the therapy of liver cancer, the cytotoxic effects of four alkaloids in Strychnos nux-vomica, brucine, brucine N-oxide, strychnine, and isostrychnine, on human hepatoma cells (HepG2) were screened by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrasolium bromide (MTT) assay.
Brucine-induced HepG2 cell apoptosis was caspase dependent, with caspase-3 activated by caspase-9.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
12142990 Lansiaux A, Bailly C, Houssier C, Colson P, De Pauw-Gillet MC, Frederich M, Tits M, Angenot L: Apoptosis of HL-60 leukemia cells induced by the bisindole alkaloids sungucine and isosungucine from Strychnos icaja. Planta Med. 2002 Jul;68(7):591-5.


Western blotting analysis reveals that the two alkaloids induce cleavage of the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and promote the cleavage of a caspase-3 DEVD peptide substrate.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
12644898 Frederich M, Bentires-Ali M, Tits M, Angenot L, Heinen E, De Pauw-Gillet MC: Apoptosis induction in human cancer cells by sungucine from Strychnos icaja root. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2003 Mar;367(3):260-5. Epub 2003 Feb 14.


The cleavage of PARP by caspase-3 protease proved that apoptosis was also induced in this line.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
20186763 Wang GH, Jiang ZL, Chen ZQ, Li X, Peng LL: Neuroprotective effect of L-serine against temporary cerebral ischemia in rats. J Neurosci Res. 2010 Feb 22.

These effects were blocked by strychnine in both MCAO rats and cultured hippocampal neurons.
Furthermore, L-serine (168 mg.kg (-1)) reduced the brain water content, permeability of blood-brain barrier, neuronal loss and the expression of activated caspase-3 in the cortex.
1(0,0,0,1) Details
18446845 Lee SM, Kwon JI, Choi YH, Eom HS, Chi GY: Induction of G2/M arrest and apoptosis by water extract of Strychni Semen in human gastric carcinoma AGS cells. Phytother Res. 2008 Jun;22(6):752-8.


Further results indicate that caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9 are all activated by ESS, together with cleavage of downstream caspase-3 target proteins.
1(0,0,0,1) Details