Ginsenoside Rh4 Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Cell Proliferation by Inducing Ferroptosis via Autophagy Activation

Figure 1

Rh4 significantly inhibited the proliferation of CRC cells in vivo and in vitro. (a) The chemical structure of Rh4. (b)–(e) The viability of CRC (HT29, HCT116, DLD1, and RKO in that order) cells treated with different concentrations of Rh4 in medium for 24, 48, and 72 hours. (f), (g) Giemsa-stained colonies were observed under an inverted microscope and quantified. HT29 and HCT116 human CRC xenograft mouse models were treated with solvent or Rh4 (40 mg/kg/d). (h) Body weight was measured every 3 days (n = 10). (i) HE staining of heart, liver, and kidney tissues. Scale bars = 100 μm. (j) Tumor size was measured every 3 days (n = 10). (k) Representative image of HT29 and HCT116 xenograft tumor tissues from the control (solvent) and Rh4-treated groups. Scale bars = 1 cm. (l) Xenograft tumor tissue weight after 21 days of treatment (n = 10). The data are presented as the means ± SD of triplicate experiments. (b)–(e) compared with the control group (0 μM Rh4); ##, ### compared with the 24-hour group. (g), (h), (j), (l) compared with the control group.

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