Identification of anti-cancer active components of Taraxacum coreanum on human gastric cancer AGS cells

Anti-cancer effects were compared amongst Taraxacum coreanum extract, its fractions, and 7 ingredients (β-sitosterol, daucosterol, taraxasteryl acetate, chrysoeriol, diosmetin, luteolin, and luteoloside). Exposure to the ethyl acetate fraction (50 and 100 μg/mL) of T. coreanum extract and luteolin (10 and 50 μM) for 24 h induced the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), caspase-3, and caspase-8, in a dose-dependent manner. These findings demonstrate that luteolin is the main active component of T. coreanum extract activating caspases-3 and -8 which contribute to apoptotic cell death.