Figure 13

(a) Chelidonium majus L. extracts induce apoptosis. Jurkat Vector cells were treated for 24 h with medium supplemented with solvent or 1, 5, 10 and 50 μM Chelidonium majus L. extract adjusted to the respective chelidonine concentration. Apoptosis induction was analysed by fluorescence microscopy upon combined staining with Hoechst33342 and propidium iodide. The percentage of cells with characteristic apoptotic nuclear morphology was determined by counting a minimum of 250 cells per data point in each of at least three independent experiments. Data represent the percentage of cells with apoptotic nuclear morphology (means ± SD, n = 3). (b) Chelidonium majus L. extracts induce chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation. Jurkat Vector cells were treated for 24 h with medium supplemented with solvent or 50 μM Chelidonium majus extract adjusted to the respective chelidonine-concentration. Apoptosis induction was analysed by fluorescence microscopy upon combined staining with Hoechst33342 and propidium iodide. Characteristic micrographs of nuclear morphology are shown. (c) Chelidonium majus L. extracts induce mitochondrial damage and caspase-activation. Jurkat vector cells were treated for 24 h with medium supplemented with solvent or 1, 5, 10 and 50 μM Chelidonium majus L. extract adjusted to the respective chelidonine-concentration. Induction of apoptosis was then measured using flow cytometry (cell shrinkage: white bars; breakdown of mitochondrial membrane potential: grey bars; caspase-activation: black bars). Data show means ± SD (n ≥ 3).