title: Inhibition by lombricine from earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) of the growth of spontaneous mammary tumours in SHN mice.
abstract: The effects of lombricine extracted and purified from earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) skin on the growth of palpable sizes (approximately 5 mm) of spontaneous mammary tumours were studied in SHN mice. In Experiment 1, daily subcutaneous injections of lombricine (0.3 mg/0.05 ml olive oil) inhibited markedly the growth of tumours associated with the retardation of the growth of preneoplastic mammary hyperplastic alveolar nodules. In 1H-NMR spectra, the experimental mice had lower serum levels of lactic acid and glucose than the control. On the other hand, urine of the former group contained higher levels of allantoin, creatine and creatinine than that of the latter. In Experiment 2, lombricine given as diet at the concentration of 120 mg/kg also inhibited the growth of tumours, though to a lesser degree than the injection. The treatment had little effect on 1H-NMR spectra of either serum or urine and normal and preneoplastic mammary gland growth. All results indicate that the inhibition by lombricine of the growth of mammary tumours is at least partly due to the maintenance of homeostasis of the body including the regulation of the excess uptake of glucose as a source of energy and nutrition.
authors.affiliation: Experimental Animal Research Laboratory, Meiji University, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagasawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Segawa
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inatomi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000032:analysis; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology; D012694:Serine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D012694:Serine; C008295:lombricine