<i>Sasa veitchii</i> extract alleviates phenobarbital‐induced cell proliferation inhibition by upregulating transforming growth factor‐beta 1

Abstract Aim Cleft lip is a common congenital disease, accompanied by a complicated etiology. Medical exposure in women is one of the reasons leading to cleft lip. Phenobarbital is a major drug used for the treatment of epilepsy and has been reported to induce cleft lip, with or without cleft palate. This study aimed to explore the protective effects of Sasa veitchii extract (SE) against phenobarbital‐induced inhibition of human lip fibroblast (JCRB9103) cell proliferation. Methods We evaluated the cell viability of JCRB9103 cells after 48 h of phenobarbital treatment. We examined the rescue experiment using SE, sodium copper chlorophyllin, or recombinant transforming growth factor‐beta 1. Western blotting was performed to identify key proteins involved in lip formation in JCRB9103 cells. Results Phenobarbital treatment decreased the cell viability of JCRB9103 cells in a dose‐dependent manner. Cotreatment with SE or sodium copper chlorophyllin alleviated phenobarbital‐induced inhibition of cell viability in JCRB9103 cells. SE treatment upregulated the transforming growth factor‐beta 1 level, and transforming growth factor‐beta 1 protected against phenobarbital‐induced inhibition of cell proliferation. Conclusions These results suggest that phenobarbital‐induced inhibition of cell proliferation was restored by sodium copper chlorophyllin present in SE via the regulation of transforming growth factor‐beta 1.