Ethanolic Extracts of Copaifera Multijuga Inhibits the Subcutaneous Growth of Ehrlich Carcionoma in Swiss Mice

Abstract

Oil-resin of Copaifera multijuga Hayne is popularly used due to its anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we evaluate the effects of the bark ethanolic extract on Ehrlich tumor cells. For extract preparation, bark was removed from stem and chopped into smaller pieces. Most were dried and grounded. The first extract was made with hexane, followed by ethyl acetate. Absolute ethanol was added to the residue and extract was filtered and concentrated (EtOH). In vitro cytotoxic activity of the EtOH was analyzed on both spleen and tumor cells. For evaluation of in vivo activity, Ehrlich carcinoma bearing Swiss mice were daily treated with different concentration of EtOH during 30 days. Evaluation of in vitro cell viability showed that 1mg/ml extract is cytotoxic to spleen and tumor cells. Evaluation of in vivo tumor development showed that treatment with 200mg/kg of EtOH was able to reduce in 45.28% the tumor growth. Treatment for 7 days increased IL-12p70, IFN-γ and TNF-α production and for 14 days reduced the lymphoproliferative activity in both tumor bearing and mice healthy. Our results show that the ethanolic extract of copaiba bark affect Ehrlich tumor cells, reducing their cell viability in vitro as well as their development in vivo.

Natural killer activity of the spleen cells of Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice treated with Copaifera multijuga extract

“…The plant material was collected at a particular property in Guarantã do Norte, MT, Brazil (S 9°48' 31.0'' W 54°53' 18.0"), according to Albiero et al [9].…”

“…As early as 1587, the Portuguese explorer and naturalist Gabriel Soares de Sousa described the use of copaiba oleoresin for healing arrow wounds [2]. Nowadays, copaiba is used in medicine owing to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, leishmanicidal, antitumor, and analgesic properties [1][2][3][4][5][7][8][9].…”

“…In previous studies by our group, it was observed that ethanolic extract of C. multijuga bark can affect Ehrlich tumor cells, reducing their viability in vitro as well as their development in vivo [9]. Ehrlich tumor is a spontaneous murine mammary adenocarcinoma adapted to the ascitic form and inoculated in mice by serial intraperitoneal passages [9,10].…”

“…Ehrlich tumor is a spontaneous murine mammary adenocarcinoma adapted to the ascitic form and inoculated in mice by serial intraperitoneal passages [9,10]. This tumor model is widely used in experimental cancer studies due to its versatility; it is able to adapt to an ascitic form when inoculated by the intraperitoneal route or a solid form when inoculated by the subcutaneous route [9,11,12].…”

“…Thus, considering the antitumor effect of C. multijuga bark extract on Ehrlich tumor [9] and the importance of NK cells as a strategy in cancer immunotherapy [15], the present study aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of ethanolic extracts obtained of C. multijuga bark on the NK activity of the non-adherent spleen cell culture of Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice.…”