title: Chemotherapeutic potential of the volatile oils from Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam leaves.
abstract: In this work, the anti-tumor properties of the volatile oil from Zanthoxylum rhoifolium Lam leaves and some terpenes (alpha-humulene, beta-caryophyllene, alpha-pinene and beta-pinene) were investigated in vitro and in vivo using the Ehrlich ascites tumor model. Treatment of Ehrlich ascites tumor-bearing mice with 20 mg/kg of the volatile oil and beta-caryophyllene for 4 days has significantly increased survival, whereas administration of alpha-humulene, alpha-pinene and beta-pinene were ineffective in affording protection. Volatile oil and beta-caryophyllene exhibited little direct activity against Ehrlich tumor cells in vitro, while alpha-humulene, alpha-pinene and beta-pinene did not such activity. Investigation of the effects of the volatile oil (and terpenes) treatment on total natural killer cells (NK cell) activity from tumor-bearing mice as a possible mechanism of these compounds in vivo revealed that volatile oil and beta-caryophyllene significantly improved NK cell cytotoxicity against YAC-1, a Moloney virus-induced mouse T-cell lymphoma of A/SN origin and Ehrlich ascites cells. As expected, tumor growth in non-treated mice markedly suppressed NK cell cytolysis while the volatile oil and beta-caryophyllene reversed this effect when mice were treated with 20-mg/kg dosages of these compounds for 4 days. Summing up, volatile oil exhibits anti-tumor efficacy and significative immunomodulatory action in vivo, which may be related to beta-caryophyllene associated to the synergism of other natural compounds presented in volatile oil from Z. rhoifolium Lam leaves.
authors: Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal do Amazônas, UFAM, 69077-000, Manaus, AM, Brazil. biomol2@hotmail.com
authors: Saulo L
authors: SL
authors: da Silva
authors: Patrícia M S
authors: PM
authors: Figueiredo
authors: Tomomasa
authors: T
authors: Yano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002286:Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013729:Terpenes / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D032106:Zanthoxylum / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D013729:Terpenes