Escin (Aescin) is biosynthesized from protoaescigenin and barringtogenol, occurring in the seeds of Aesculus.

Escin对抑制胰腺癌细胞增殖有效。escin 对正常大鼠骨骼肌细胞的影响最小。在体外实验中，escin 增强了 gemcitabine 对 BxPC-3 和 PANC-1 细胞系抑制增殖和诱导凋亡的效果。Escin 抑制胰腺癌细胞中 NF-κB 及其下游基因产品的体内自发活性和 gemcitabine 诱导的活性[1]。

Escin在裸鼠BxPC-3肿瘤移植模型中增强了gemcitabine的治疗效果。Escin 抑制胰腺肿瘤生长、抑制肿瘤增殖和诱导肿瘤凋亡方面有效。Escin加强了gemcitabine对BxPC-3肿瘤移植模型中NF-kB及其调控基因产物的抑制作用[1]。

Cell cycle analysis: After treatment with escin (BxPC-3 (25 μM),PANC-1 (20 μM),respectively), gemcitabine (BxPC-3(100 nM), PANC-1(1 μM), respectively) or their combinations for 72 h, BxPC-3 and PANC-1 cells are collected by trypsinization, washed with ice-cold PBS and fixed overnight by the addition of 2 ml of ice-cold 70% ethanol/30% PBS at 4°C. The ethanol is subsequently removed after centrifugation, and about 1×106 cells are resuspended in 800 μl of PBS, 100 μl of ribonuclease A (500 g/ml PBS) and 100 μl of PI (500 g/ml PBS) in the dark at room temperature for 30 min. Flow cytometric analysis is performed using FACScan for the detection of the percentage of cells in the diVerent phases of the cell cycle. Cells treated with DMSO alone are used as controls. (Only for Reference)