Caspase Activators

Cat.No.	Product Name	Information	Product Use Citations
S2738	PAC-1	PAC-1 is a potent procaspase-3 activator with EC50 of 0.22 μM and the first small molecule known to directly activate procaspase-3 to caspase-3.	PLoS Pathog, 2025, 21(8):e1013415 mSphere, 2025, e0011025. Nat Commun, 2023, 14(1):5773
S2927	Apoptosis Activator 2	Apoptosis Activator 2 strongly induces caspase-3 activation, PARP cleavage, and DNA fragmentation which leads to the destruction of cells (Apaf-1 dependent) with IC50 of ~4 μM, inactive to HMEC, PREC, or MCF-10A cells.	BMC Mol Cell Biol, 2023, 24(1):14 Antioxidants (Basel), 2021, 10(2)184 J Agric Food Chem, 2021, 69(13):3942-3951
S9634	Phenoxodiol (Haginin E)	Phenoxodiol (Haginin E, Idronoxil, Dehydroequol, NV 06, PXD) is an isoflavone analog with antineoplastic activity. It activates the caspase system, inhibits XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis), and disrupts FLICE inhibitory protein (FLIP) expression, resulting in tumor cell apoptosis. This compound also inhibits DNA topoisomerase II.	Anticancer Res, 2018, 38(10):5709-5716 Anticancer Research, 2018, 5709-5716
S3865	Taurochenodeoxycholic acid	Taurochenodeoxycholic acid (Taurochenodeoxycholate, TCDCA, Chenodeoxycholyltaurine), a bile acid formed in the liver of most species, is used as a cholagogue and choleretic.	Nat Commun, 2021, 12(1):6479 Microbiome, 2019, 7(1):145
S7326	Tasisulam	Tasisulam (LY573636) is an antitumor agent and an apoptosis inducer via the intrinsic pathway. Phase 3.	Skin Pharmacol Physiol, 2016, 29(6):281-290
S5550	Ethyl gallate	Ethyl gallat (Phyllemblin, gallic acid ethyl ester), which could be found naturally in a variety of plant sources, is a food additive with antimicrobial activity. Ethyl gallat activates the death receptor-dependent pathway of apoptosis by enhancing the expression of caspases-8, -9, and -3 and the Bcl-2 interacting domain (Bid).	Front Pharmacol, 2024, 15:1403424
S6501	NVP 231	NVP 231 is a novel CerK inhibitor that inhibits the catalytic activity of recombinant CerK in vitro with an IC50 of 12 nM. This compound induces cell apoptosis by increasing DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 and caspase-9 cleavage.
E6477^New	Taurolithocholic acid	Taurolithocholic acid is a taurine-conjugated tertiary bile acid. It induces apoptosis in hepatoma cell lines via caspase-3/7 activation and serves as a model to study the endocrine and metabolic roles of bile acids in enterohepatic circulation and liver physiology.
S9097	Alisol B Acetate	Alisol B acetate, a triterpene from Alismatis rhizoma, induces Bax up-regulation and nuclear translocation, the activation of initiator caspase-8 and caspase-9, and executor caspase-3, suggesting the involvement of both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways.
S1029	CC-5013 (Lenalidomide)	Lenalidomide is a TNF-α secretion inhibitor with IC50 of 13 nM in PBMCs. Lenalidomide (CC-5013) is a ligand of ubiquitin E3 ligase cereblon (CRBN), and it causes selective ubiquitination and degradation of two lymphoid transcription factors, IKZF1 and IKZF3, by the CRBN-CRL4 ubiquitin ligase. Lenalidomide promotes cleaved caspase-3 expression and inhibit VEGF expression and induces apoptosis.	Signal Transduct Target Ther, 2025, 10(1):29 Nat Commun, 2025, 16(1):3800 Cell Rep Med, 2025, S2666-3791(25)00102-8
S2768	Dinaciclib (SCH 727965)	Dinaciclib is a novel and potent CDK inhibitor for CDK2, CDK5, CDK1 and CDK9 with IC50 of 1 nM, 1 nM, 3 nM and 4 nM in cell-free assays, respectively. It also blocks thymidine (dThd) DNA incorporation. Dinaciclib induces apoptosis through the activation of caspases 8 and 9. Phase 3.	Cancer Cell, 2025, 43(4):776-796.e14 Mol Cell, 2025, S1097-2765(25)00042-5 Adv Sci (Weinh), 2025, 12(29):e03223
S2891	GW441756	GW441756 is a potent, selective inhibitor of TrkA with IC50 of 2 nM, with very little activity to c-Raf1 and CDK2. This compound produces a relevant increase of caspase-3 that leads to apoptosis.	Cell Res, 2025, 10.1038/s41422-025-01098-4 Neurochem Int, 2025, 191:106072 Cells, 2023, 12(3)373
S2271	Berberine chloride	Berberine chloride is a quaternary ammonium salt from the group of isoquinoline alkaloids. This compound activates caspase 3 and caspase 8, cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and the release of cytochrome c. It decreases the expression of c-IAP1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL. This chemical induces apoptosis with sustained phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK, as well as generation of the ROS. It is a dual topoisomerase I and II inhibitor. It is also a potential autophagy modulator.	J Cardiovasc Dev Dis, 2025, 12(7)278 Adv Healthc Mater, 2023, e2300591. Transl Oncol, 2023, 35:101712
S2448	Gambogic Acid	Gambogic Acid (Guttatic Acid, Guttic Acid, Beta-Guttiferrin) activates caspases with EC50 of 0.78-1.64 μM and competitively inhibits Bcl-X_L, Bcl-2, Bcl-W, Bcl-B, Bfl-1 and Mcl-1 with IC50 of 1.47, 1.21, 2.02, 0.66, 1.06 and 0.79 μM, respectively.	Theranostics, 2025, 15(11):5420-5439 Cells, 2023, 12(18)2247 Cells, 2023, 10.3390/cells12182247
S3238	Resibufogenin	Resibufogenin (Bufogenin, Recibufogenin), a component of huachansu with anticancer effect, triggers necroptosis through upregulating receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) and phosphorylating mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein at Ser358. This compound exerts cytotoxic effect by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. It induces apoptosis and caspase-3 and caspase-8 activity. This chemical increases Bax/Bcl-2 expression, and suppresses cyclin D1, cyclin E, PI3K, p-AKT, p-GSK3β and β-catenin protein expression.	bioRxiv, 2025, 2025.07.17.665404 Research Square, 2024, 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3790060/v1 Phytomedicine, 2022, 102:154182
S4513	RGD peptide (GRGDNP)	RGD peptide (GRGDNP) is an inhibitor of binding of integrins to the extracellular matrixs. This compound induces apoptosis presumably through direct activation of caspase-3.	Pharmacological Research, 2024, 107269 Traditional Medicine Research, 2023, 50 Tradit Med Res, 2023, 8(9):50
S5967	Berberine chloride hydrate	Berberine (Natural Yellow 18) chloride hydrate is a quaternary ammonium salt from the group of isoquinoline alkaloids. Berberine activates caspase 3 and caspase 8, cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) and the release of cytochrome c. Berberine chloride decreases the expression of c-IAP1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL. Berberine chloride induces apoptosis with sustained phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK, as well as generation of the ROS. Berberine chloride is a dual topoisomerase I and II inhibitor. Berberine chloride is also a potential autophagy modulator.	Front Biosci (Landmark Ed), 2022, 27(8):242 Front Pharmacol, 2021, 12:632201
S6990	Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)	A potent mitogen from red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulates lymphocyte proliferation and transforms them into large blast cells. It can suppress humoral antibody responses and enhance the survival of homografts by inhibiting immune rejection. It also triggers T-cell activation and apoptosis by upregulating pro-apoptotic proteins like Bax, leading to the activation of caspase-3.	Transl Cancer Res, 2025, 14(1):78-92 Molecules, 2023, 28(6)2426
S0354	Alsterpaullone	Alsterpaullone (Alp, 9-Nitropaullone, NSC 705701) is a potent inhibitor of CDK with IC50 of 35 nM, 15 nM, 200 nM and 40 nM for CDK1/cyclin B, CDK2/cyclin A, CDK2/cyclin E and CDK5/p35, respectively. This compound also acts as a potent inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) with IC50 of both 4 nM for GSK-3α and GSK-3β. It induces apoptosis by activation of caspase-9. This chemical has antitumor activity and possesses potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative and proliferative disorders.	Cell Mol Life Sci, 2025, 82(1):311
S0563	10-Deacetyl-7-xylosyl paclitaxel	10-Deacetyl-7-xylosyl paclitaxel (10-Deacetyl-7-xylosyltaxol, 7-xylosyl-10-deacetylpaclitaxel), a derivative of paclitaxel and naturally occurring xyloside isolated from Taxus chinensis, causes significant mitotic arrest in PC-3 cells followed by up-regulating expression of pro-apoptotic Bax and Bad protein, as well as down-regulating expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL , which leads to a disturbance of the mitochondrial membrane permeability and to the activation of caspase-9.	Cell Death Dis, 2022, 13-9:799
E3037	Solanum lyratum Extract	Solanum lyratum Extract (300 μg/ml) increases Bax levels and decreases Bcl-2 levels, which cause the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δæm) followed by cytochrome C release and caspase-9 and -3 activation, finally leading to apoptosis. This compound also promotes p53 and p27, but decreases the levels of cyclin B1 thus causing S-phase arrest.
S6899	Licochalcone D	Licochalcone D (Lico D, LCD, LD), a flavonoid isolated from a Chinese medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza inflata, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. This compound inhibits phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 in LPS signaling pathway. It inhibits JAK2, EGFR and Met (c-Met) activities and induces ROS-dependent apoptosis. This chemical also induces caspases activation and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage.
S0913	4',5,7-Trimethoxyflavone	4',5,7-Trimethoxyflavone (5,7,4'-Trimethoxyflavone, TMF) is a flavonoid isolated from Kaempferia parviflora (KP) that induces apoptosis. This compound increases sub-G1 phase, DNA fragmentation, annexin-V/PI staining and Bax/Bcl-xL ratio, activates caspase-3 and degrades poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) protein.
S9276	Alisol B	Alisol B, a triterpene from Alismatis rhizoma, induces Bax up-regulation and nuclear translocation, the activation of initiator caspase-8 and caspase-9, and executor caspase-3, suggesting the involvement of both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways.
S4353	Terfenadine	Terfenadine is an antihistamine, generally completely metabolizes to the active form fexofenadine in the liver by the enzyme cytochrome P450 CYP3A4 isoform. This compound is a potent open-channel blocker of hERG with an IC50 of 204 nM. This chemical, an H1 histamine receptor antagonist, acts as a potent apoptosis inducer in melanoma cells through modulation of Ca2+ homeostasis. It induces ROS-dependent apoptosis, simultaneously activates Caspase-4, -2, -9.