Baicalein and baicalin are potent inhibitors of angiogenesis: Inhibition of endothelial cell proliferation, migration and differentiation

• Published in: International journal of cancer 2003-09, Vol.106 (4), p.559-565
• Main Authors: Liu, Jun‐Jen, Huang, Tien‐Shang, Cheng, Wen‐Fang, Lu, Fung‐Jou
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: angiogenesis; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - pharmacology; Animals; anti‐angiogenic agent; baicalein; baicalin; Biological and medical sciences; CAM; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Division - drug effects; Cell Movement - drug effects; Cells, Cultured - drug effects; Cells, Cultured - enzymology; Cells, Cultured - metabolism; Chick Embryo; Chorion - blood supply; Chorion - cytology; Chorion - physiology; Collagen - chemistry; Drug Combinations; Endothelium, Vascular - cytology; Endothelium, Vascular - drug effects; Endothelium, Vascular - enzymology; Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 - metabolism; Flavanones; Flavonoids - pharmacology; General pharmacology; Glucuronidase - antagonists & inhibitors; Humans; Laminin - chemistry; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 - metabolism; Medical sciences; Neovascularization, Physiologic - drug effects; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Proteoglycans - chemistry; Topoisomerase II Inhibitors; Umbilical Veins - enzymology; Umbilical Veins - metabolism
• ISSN: 0020-7136; 1097-0215
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.11267

In recent studies, we have shown that baicalein and baicalin, 2 major flavonoids of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, exhibit anticancer activity against several cancers in vitro. In our present study, we assessed their potential as anti‐angiogenic agents in vivo employing chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay and in vitro human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) culture. When CAMs were treated with either baicalein or baicalin for 48 hr, the angiogenic response induced by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was markedly reduced in a dose‐dependent manner. Further characterization showed that both flavonoids exhibited dual antiproliferative (at low dose) and apoptogenic (at high dose) effects on HUVECs. In biochemical analysis, treatment of HUVECs with baicalein and baicalin for 24 hr resulted in a dose‐dependent decrease in the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 activity. Moreover, the migration of endothelial cells and the differentiation of endothelial cells into branching networks of tubular structures in vitro were also inhibited by these 2 flavonoids in a dose‐dependent manner. Baicalein is more potent than baicalin in anti‐angiogenesis in vivo as well as in vitro. Taken together, the results of our study provide evidence that baicalein and baicalin possess an anti‐angiogenesis potential that is a previously unrecognized biologic activity. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.