Study of the antiproliferative potential of seed extracts from Northeastern Brazilian plants

Abstract

This study assessed the antiproliferative and cytotoxic potential against tumor lines of ethanolic seed extracts of 21 plant species belonging to different families from Northeastern Brazil. In addition, some underlying mechanisms involved in this cytotoxicity were also investigated. Among the 21 extracts tested, the MTT assay after 72 h of incubation demonstrated that only the ethanolic extract obtained from Myracrodruon urundeuva seeds (EEMUS), which has steroids, alkaloids and phenols, showed in vitro cytotoxic activity against human cancer cells, being 2-fold more active on leukemia HL-60 line [IC 50 value of 12.5 (9.5-16.7) μg/mL] than on glioblastoma SF-295 [IC 50 of 25.1 (17.3-36.3) μg/mL] and Sarcoma 180 cells [IC 50 of 38.1 (33.5-43.4) μg/mL]. After 72h exposure, flow cytometric and morphological analyses of HL-60-treated cells showed that EEMUS caused decrease in cell number, volume and viability as well as internucleosomal DNA fragmentation in a dose-dependent way, suggesting that the EEMUS triggers apoptotic pathways of cell death.

Viability of Human Gingival Fibroblast (FGH) Treated with Ethanolic "Aroeira" Extract (Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemão)

“…In the present study, the high values of cell viability at lower concentrations in 48 h could be an effect of some components of the extract, such as glucose molecules from tannins and flavonoid (Souza 2012;Machado et al 2015). On the other hand, high-concentration extracts promoted cell death (Ferreira et al 2011), or reduce viability, as demonstrated in this work. Polyphenol fractions, present in the plant extract (Souza 2012;Machado et al 2015), are possible candidates to promote the cellular proliferation inhibition, and can induce cell death by apoptosis (Queires et al 2006).…”

“…These in vitro tests employing cell culture are advantageous due to their simplicity/quickness, low costs (Freshney 2005), and control of the some experimental conditions (pH, CO 2 concentration, and levels of some molecules) (Schweikl and Schmalz 1996;De Deus et al 2009). In general, there are contradictory results involving "aroeira" due to tissue biocompatibility (Nunes Jr. et al 2008;Machado et al 2012) and the induction of apoptosis in cellular lineages (Ferreira et al 2011). However, comparision of these works with the present results showed some similarities between them.…”

“…The results reported by Monteiro et al (2005), Queires et al (2006) and Souza (2012) matched with the prsent findings, suggesting a modulation of the cell viability dependent of the concentration of the extract, and of the possible components present in the extract. However, Pellegrina et al (2005);Sakao et al (2009);Ferreira et al (2011) and Silva et al (2011);Machado (2015) reported that cellular viability reduction at high "aroeira" extract concentrations could be associated with the presence of some components such as gallic acid and quercetin in high concentrations. Silva (2011) and Machado (2015) found these components in the "aroeira" extract.…”

Biological screening of extracts of Brazilian Asteraceae plants

“…Researches for antineoplasic compounds have demonstrated the great pharmacological relevance of the plant extracts (Ferreira et al, 2011). According to the American National Cancer Institute, the limit to be considered a promising crude extract for further purification is a value lower than 50 μg/ml and cell proliferation inhibition is higher than 90% (Suffness and Pezzuto, 1990;Ferreira et al, 2011).…”

Are salty liquid food flavorings in vitro antitumor substances?

“…Twentyfour hours before the end of incubation, 20 μL of stock solution (0.156 mg/mL) of Alamar Blue™ were added to each well. The absorbance was measured at 570 nm and 595 nm and the drug effect was quantified as the control percentage as described by Ferreira et al (2011) with one modification, since the measurement was performed after 24h following the Alamar Blue addition.…”