| Objective:Arctium lappa is a plant belonging to compositae family. Its seed is considered to be official drug, and its root is very poplar in Japan as a kind of food that has potential anticancer function. In 1960s, Japanese researcher discovered polyacetylene compounds from the root of arctium lappa, which has recently proved to have anticancer bioactivity. This study was conducted to investigate the existence of anticancer agents in the root of arctium lappa, which would provide a foundation for further development of arctium lappa root.Method:①Sensory evaluation and microscopic identification were performed as pharmacognostical identification methods. And thin layer chromatography was utilized for chemical components identification, in which chloroform-methanol-water (40:8:1) was selected as the developer and UV lamp (254nm) was used to observe. The samples were prepared via liquid-liquid extraction. Cut the arctium lappa roots into pieces and keep them dry at room temperature. We extracted the arctium lappa roots with 95% alcohol and then recovered the solvent. The alcohol extract would be extracted with petroleum benzin, chloroform, acetic ether and n-butanol in turn after being mixed with water. Recover the solvent together with the water layer extract. Thus, we gained five samples of different polarity.②We selected MTT method to evaluate the anticancer effect of the samples on tumor cells proliferation (mouse tumor Hep A and S180) in vitro and IC50 as the evaluation index.③Lymphocyte proliferation test induced by Con A in vitro was performed to evaluate the immunological activity and its evaluation index is the rate of promoting or inhibiting the lymphocyte.④The attenuation of the samples was evaluated by the protective function test in vitro of the samples towards the marrow cells damaged by chemotherapeutics such as ADM and DDP.⑤Based on tumor cells proliferation inhibition test in vitro, the synergistic effect was evaluated by observing the effect of combination of the samples and ADM.⑥Protecting tumor function was evaluated by Ames test. We selected TA 98 as tested bacteria and ADM as positive mutagen to observe the anti-mutagenesis of the samples. Result:①Fresh arctium lappa root is fleshy root in circular cylinder shape with brown skin and wrinkle. The root is grey inside, slightly bitter in taste and sticky. The moisture content is 83.60%.Chemical component assay shows that the unique anticancer agent in the seed of arctium lappa, arctiin, is not found in the root. The extract yield of arctium lappa with petroleum benzin, chloroform, acetic ether, n-butanol and water layer extract is respectively 0.20%,0.18%,0.40%,4.08%,13.55%.②All the five samples showed a cytotoxic effect on Hep A and S180 and kept definite dose-effect relationship. The Hep A IC50 of arctium lappa root extracts with petroleum benzin, chloroform, acetic ether, n-butanol and water extract is respectively 25.97,30.62,40.67,81.80,988.81μg/mL, and the S180 of that is 9.42,13.30,50.71,32.18,2395.80μg/mL. Thus, petroleum benzin and chloroform extract exhibited higher cytotoxic effect and water extract has the lowest cytotoxic effect.③All the extracts from the arctium lappa root including that of petroleum benzin, chloroform, acetic ether, n-butanol and water extract may inhibit the proliferation of T lymphocyte of the mouse's spleen induced by Con A in dose manner and their IC50 is 26.67,28.68,27.26,156.88,629.23μg/mL respectively.④N-butanol extract and water extract may protect the marrow cells of mouse from ADM. N-butanol extract is more effective than water extract. N-butanol extract at 10,40μg/mL may significantly prevent ADM from damaging marrow cells and increase the survival rate of marrow cells from 41.71% to 45.07％,49.40%.(P<0.05). N-butanol extract of 2.5μg/mL may significantly minimize the cytotoxic lesion of marrow cells induced by DDP and increase the survival rate of marrow cells 61.78% to 66.59%.(P<0.05). Water extract shows a poor protection to marrow cells from DDP at 2.5μg/mL.⑤The IC50 of Petroleum benzin extract (3μg/mL) and chloroform extract (3μg/mL) combined with ADM on mice Hep A is 3.76,3.11μg/mL, which is decreased compared with that of ADM alone,4.69μg/mL, but it is not statistically significant. Acetic ether extract (5μg/mL) combined with ADM may show an increased IC50 of 5.39μg/mL, which is not statistically significant.⑥Both n-butanol extract and water extract at 0.1,1.0,10.0μg/dish may minimize ADM mutagenesis of TA 98 with inhibition rate of 31.15,65.41,69.78% and 34.43,60.93,67.25% in dose-effect manner. Middle and high dose groups of both n-butanol extract and water extract may inhibit the ADM mutagenesis compared with ADM group and there is statistic significance (P<0.05).Conclusion:There is difference between arctium lappa root and seed and Arctiin, the anticancer agent is not found in the root. It is proved that in the root there are some active agents that are against cancer, mutagenesis and protect the marrow cells from ADM and DDP. Therefore, the root of arctium lappa is worth developing as an anticancer drug or food.
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