Hirsutine remarkably reduces the viability of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner with IC 50 values of 447.79 and 179.06 μM, respectively. In the MDA-MB-231 cells, Hirsutine induces apoptosis and depolarization of MMP, releases Cyt C from mitochondria, and activates caspase 9 and caspase 3.
Hirsutine induces mPTP-dependent apoptosis through ROCK1/PTEN/PI3K/GSK3β pathway in human lung cancer cells.