In this study, we investigated the molecular basis of Korean kidney bean husk 
extract, with emphasis on its ability to control intracellular signaling 
cascades of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) responsible for inducing 
antitumor activities in colon cancer cells. Recently, the evolutionarily 
conserved serine/threonine kinase, AMPK, has emerged as a possible target 
molecule of tumor control. We investigated the effects of Korean kidney bean 
husk extract on apoptosis regulation and the activation of AMPK. Korean kidney 
bean husk extract exhibited a series of antitumor effects such as cell death and 
apoptotic body appearance. These antitumor potentials were accompanied by the 
increase in p-AMPK and p-Acc as well as antitumor proteins p53 and p21. The 
stimulation of AMPK by this extract was blocked with the synthetic AMPK 
inhibitor Compound C at 10 micromol/L, and the combined treatment of Compound C 
and the AMPK activator AICAR 
(5-aminoimiazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranoside) showed that Compound C 
could inhibit the activation of AMPK at the concentration of 20 micromol/L. In 
conclusion, the ability of carcinogenesis control by Korean kidney bean husk 
extract with high potency suggests its value as an antitumor agent in colon 
cancer therapy.