Side-Effects of Irinotecan (CPT-11), the Clinically Used Drug for Colon Cancer Therapy, Are Eliminated in Experimental Animals Treated with Latex Proteins fromCalotropis procera(Apocynaceae)

Abstract

Intestinal mucositis (IM) is the critical side effect of irinotecan (CPT-11), which is the front-line drug used for the treatment of colorectal cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of latex proteins (LP) from Calotropis procera to prevent IM and diarrhea in animals. Swiss mice were treated daily with saline or LP (1, 5, or 50 mg/kg, i.v.) 24 h prior to CTP-11 (75 mg/kg/4 days, i.p) and for additional 6 days. Animal survival, body weight variation, and diarrhea were registered. After animal sacrifice (day 7 post first injection of CPT-11), intestinal samples were collected to study morphology and inflammatory parameters. Animals given LP exhibited improved parameters (survival, body weight, and absence of diarrhea) as compared with the CPT-11 control. The severity of IM observed in animals given CPT-11 was reduced in animals treated with LP. Treatment with LP also prevented the reduction in the villus/crypt ratio promoted by CPT-11. The rise in MPO activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines, over-contractility of the smooth muscle, and diarrhea were all abrogated in LP-treated mice. Markedly reduced immunostaining intensity for COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS, and NF-κB was observed in the intestinal tissue of animals treated with LP. The side-effects of CPT-11 were eliminated by LP treatment in experimental animals and improved clinical parameters characteristic of IM All known biochemical pathogenesis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Troxerutin Prevents 5-Fluorouracil Induced Morphological Changes in the Intestinal Mucosa: Role of Cyclooxygenase-2 Pathway

“…The COX-2 plays a key role in inflammation through the release of arachidonic acid, and biosynthesis of eicosanoids, such as prostaglandins involved in various immune and inflammatory responses. Several studies have demonstrated the harmful effect of radiotherapeutic and chemotherapeutic agents, which result in COX-2 overexpression in intestinal mucositis models [48,[65][66][67][68]. Hence, the anti-inflammatory effect of TRX on intestinal mucositis can be attributed to its binding and interaction with COX-2 and mediation of COX-2 pathway.…”

Flavonoid‐rich fraction of Bauhinia forficata Link leaves prevents the intestinal toxic effects of irinotecan chemotherapy in IEC‐6 cells and in mice

“…(Santos‐Filho et al, ), Bidens pilosa L . (Bastos et al, ), wheat bran arabinoxylan supplementation (SONG et al, 2016), Colotropis procera (de Alencar et al, ), silymarin (Elyasi, Hosseini, Niazi Moghadam, Aledavood, & Karimi, ), and the herbal preparation Bu‐Zhong‐Yi‐Qi (Gou, Gu, Xiong, & Wang, ). In agreements, the management of chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting has been achieved using traditional plant‐based medicines (Chen, May, Zhou, Zhang, & Xue, ), placing natural products as a potential source to alternative therapy to minimize chemotherapy side effects.…”

A phytomodulatory hydrogel with enhanced healing effects

“…Water soluble proteins extracted from the latex of C. procera Ait.Br. (Asclepiadaceae) have been demonstrated to alleviate arthritis and oxidative stress (Chaudhary et al, ; Chaudhary et al, ) and prevent oral and intestinal mucositis that result from chemotherapy (Alencar et al, ; Freitas et al, ). When incorporated into a biomembrane of polyvinyl alcohol, latex proteins have been found to accelerate the healing of incisional and excisional wounds (Figueiredo et al, ; Ramos et al, ).…”