Xihuang pills induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma by suppressing phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase-B/mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway

Figure 5 Xihuang pills treatment inhibits tumour growth in vivo. SMMC7721 cells were injected subcutaneously into the lower right side of 5-week-old BALB/c male nude mice. After a model of subcutaneous xenograft tumours was successfully established in nude mice, animals were randomly divided into two groups. Each group was then treated with either 0.2 mL of distilled water (control) or 78 mg/kg of body weight Xihuang pills. A: Representative images of subcutaneous xenograft tumours at the end of treatment; B: Subcutaneous tumour weights measured at the end of the treatment; C: Average subcutaneous tumour volume measured every 2 d; D: Average mouse body weight measured every 2 d. The experiment was repeated three times, and the data are presented as the means ± SD. The results were analysed using one-way analysis of variance, followed by the least significant difference test. ^aP < 0.05 and ^bP < 0.01 compared with the control group. XHP: Xihuang pills.