The possible cytotoxic activity of some ent-kaurenes on human mononuclear cells, obtained from peripheral blood, was studied having in mind future studies on their antitumor activity. The cells were obtained using the Ficoll-Hypaque method, adjusted to 2x10 6 cells/mL, and incubated with kaurenes for 48 hours at 3x10-5 , 30x10-5 , 300x10-5 and 3000x10-5 mol/well. Ent-kaurenic acid showed no toxicity at all concentrations studied. The least toxic of all the kaurene derivatives studied was ent-15,16-epoxy-17-acetoxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid, with a cellular viability of 99% at 3x10-5 mol/well, and 94% at 30x10-5 mol/well. Another compound that showed low toxicity was the 2,3,4,6-tetra-acetyl--D-pyranosyl ester of ent-15-oxo-(-)-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid with 44% viability at 3000x10-5 mol/well. The most toxic compounds at all concentrations tested were ent-kaur-16-en-19-ol acetate and ent-16-hydroxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid. On the other hand, ent-kaur-9(11)16-dien-19-oic acid, ent-kauran-19-oic acid, and ent-kaur-16-en-19-ol were toxic only at the highest concentration studied. According to these results, and considering the concentrations employed, ent-kaur-16-en-19-oic acid and ent-15,16-epoxy-17-acetoxy-(-)-kauran-19-oic acid could be used for in vivo experiments and possibly for therapeutic purposes on humans, without much risk.
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