Background/Aim: Casticin, one of the active components of Vitex rotundifolia L., presents biological and pharmacological activities including inhibition of migration, invasion and induction of apoptosis in numerous human cancer cells in vitro. This study aimed to assess the effects of casticin on tumor growth in a human oral cancer SCC-4 cell xenograft mouse model in vivo. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four nude mice were injected subcutaneously with SCC-4 cells and when palpable tumors reached a volume of 100-120 mm3 the mice were randomly divided into three groups. The control (0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide), casticin (0.2 mg/kg), and casticin (0.4 mg/kg) groups were intraperitoneally injected every two days for 18 days. Tumor volume and body weights were measured every two days. Results: Casticin significantly decreased tumor volume and weight in SCC-4 cell xenograft mice but there was no statistically significant difference between the body weights of control mice and mice treated with 0.2 mg/kg or 0.4 mg/kg casticin. Therefore, the growth of SCC-4 cells in athymic nude mice can be inhibited by casticin in vivo. Conclusion: These findings support further investigations in the potential use of casticin as an oral anti-cancer drug in the future.

中文翻译：

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Casticin 抑制人口腔癌 SCC-4 细胞异种移植瘤的体内生长

背景/目的：Casticin 是 Vitex rotundifolia L. 的活性成分之一，具有生物学和药理活性，包括在体外抑制多种人类癌细胞的迁移、侵袭和诱导细胞凋亡。本研究旨在评估 casticin 在体内人口腔癌 SCC-4 细胞异种移植小鼠模型中对肿瘤生长的影响。材料与方法：24只裸鼠皮下注射SCC-4细胞，当可触及的肿瘤体积达到100-120 mm3时，将小鼠随机分为三组。对照组（0.1%二甲亚砜）、蓖麻毒素（0.2 mg/kg）和蓖麻毒素（0.4 mg/kg）组每两天腹腔注射一次，共18天。每两天测量一次肿瘤体积和体重。结果：Casticin 显着降低了 SCC-4 细胞异种移植小鼠的肿瘤体积和重量，但对照小鼠和用 0.2 mg/kg 或 0.4 mg/kg casticin 治疗的小鼠的体重之间没有统计学上的显着差异。因此，在体内，casticin可以抑制无胸腺裸鼠SCC-4细胞的生长。结论：这些发现支持进一步研究蓖麻毒素在未来作为口服抗癌药物的潜在用途。