Cycloartenol, a phytosterol compound, is one of the key precusor substances for biosynthesis of numerous sterol compounds. Cycloartenol inhibits the migration of glioma cells and suppresses the phosphorylation of the p38 MAP kinase. Cycloartenol has a variety of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant, antibiosis and anti-alzheimer's disease. Cycloartenol also plays an important role in the process of plant growth and development.
In Vitro
Cycloartenol inhibits the proliferation and the colony formation potential of the glioma U87 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The antiproliferative effects are found to be due to induction of Sub-G1 cell cycle arrest and triggering of apoptosis. Cycloartenol also causes significant alteration in the expression of Bax and Bcl-2. MCE has not independently confirmed the accuracy of these methods. They are for reference only.
