Fig. 3.

Effect of β-elemene and cisplatin on apoptosis in human ovarian carcinoma MCAS cells, as assessed by the TUNEL assay. MCAS cells were treated with 50 μg/ml β-elemene alone (b), 20 μM cisplatin alone (c), or 50 μg/ml β-elemene plus 20 μM cisplatin (d) for 48 h. Untreated cells were used as the control (a). After treatment, the cells were collected, processed into paraffin-embedded cell blocks, sectioned at 5 μm, and evaluated by the TUNEL assay. TUNEL-positive cells were observed by light microscopy. Photomicrographs are representative of three independent experiments. DNA fragmentation consistent with apoptotic cell death is seen in MCAS cells treated with β-elemene (b) or cisplatin (c), and an additive effect is observed in cells treated with both cisplatin and β-elemene (d)