Induction of Mitochondrial-Mediated Apoptosis by Solvent Fractions of Methanol Extract of Heliotropium indicum in Rat Liver Cells | Chapter 10 | Recent Advances in Biological Research Vol. 4
Introduction: The biochemical process of apoptosis may occur by a number of mechanism including; extrinsic or death-receptor pathway, intrinsic or mitochondrial-mediated pathway which involves the opening of Mitochondrial Membrane Permeability Transition (MMPT) pore in situations of intracellular calcium overload or oxidative stress or cellular insult and by the perforin/granzyme pathway. There is considerable evidence that bioactive agents in some plants (sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables, genistein in soybeans and epigallocatechin gallate in green tea etc.) were able to induce MMPT pore opening. Quite a number of these agents have been identified and they currently under preclinical and clinical trials. Aim: Mitochondrial Membrane Permeability Transition (MMPT) pore has emerged as a promising target for drug development because the release of cytochrome c upon the opening of the pore is a point of no return for mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis to occur. Heliotropium...