Studies on the cytotoxicity of cucurbitacins isolated from Cayaponia racemosa (Cucurbitaceae).
The cytotoxic potential of three cucurbitacins, 2,3,16,20(R),25-pentahydroxy-11,22-dioxo-cucurbita-5-en (cucurbitacin P, 1), 2,3,16,20(R),25-pentahydroxy-22-oxocucurbita-5-en (2) and 2,3,16,20(R),25-pentahydroxy-22-oxocucurbita-5,23(E)-diene (deacetylpicracin, 3), obtained from Cayaponia racemosa was evaluated as their ability to induce brine shrimp lethality, to inhibit the development of sea urchin eggs and tumor cell proliferation, and to lysis mouse erythrocytes. Compounds 1 and 2 were highly toxic with LC50 of (29.6+/-.1) (56.8) and (38.8 +/-.0) (76.6) micro/mL (umicro), respectively, while compound 3 was not effective at the tested concentrations. All tested compounds possessed an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of tumor cell lines, compound 1 being the most active, followed by 2 and 3. Nevertheless, no hemolytic activity or inhibition of the development of sea urchin eggs was observed for these compounds.
Dantas
Ivana Nogueira Fernandes
IN
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, P.O. Box 3157, 60430-270 Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
Gadelha
Gardenia Carmen Militão
GC
Chaves
Davina Camelo
DC
Monte
Francisco José Queiroz
FJ
Pessoa
Cláudia
C
de Moraes
Manoel Odorico
MO
Costa-Lotufo
Letícia Veras
LV
D000818:Animals; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D019662:Cucurbitaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D006461:Hemolysis; D053878:Hemolytic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000633:toxicity
D053878:Hemolytic Agents; D014315:Triterpenes; C041246:cucurbitacin B; C474429:cucurbitacin C