In vivo growth-inhibition of Sarcoma 180 by an alpha-(1-->4)-glucan-beta-(1-->6)-glucan-protein complex polysaccharide obtained from Agaricus blazei Murill.
Agaricus blazei Murrill, a native mushroom of Brazil, has been widely consumed in different parts of the world due to its anticancer potential. This effect is generally attributed to its polysaccharides; however, the precise structure of these has not been fully characterized. To better understand the relationship between polysaccharide structures and antitumor activity, we investigated the effect of the intraperitoneally (i.p.) or orally (p.o.) administered alpha-(1-->4)-glucan-beta-(1-->6)-glucan-protein complex polysaccharide from A. blazei alone or in association with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in tumor growth using Sarcoma 180 transplanted mice. Hematological, biochemical, and histopathological analyses were performed in order to evaluate the toxicological aspects of the polysaccharide treatment. The polysaccharide had no direct cytotoxic action on tumor cells in vitro. However, the polysaccharide showed strong in vivo antitumor effect. Thus, the tumor growth-inhibitory effect of the polysaccharide is apparently due to host-mediated mechanisms. The histopathological analysis suggests that the liver and the kidney were not affected by polysaccharide treatment. Neither enzymatic activity of transaminases (AST and ALT) nor urea levels were significantly altered. In hematological analysis, leucopeny was observed after 5-FU treatment, but this effect was prevented when the treatment was associated with the polysaccharide. In conclusion, this polysaccharide probably could explain the ethnopharmacological use of this mushroom in the treatment of cancer.
Gonzaga
Maria Leônia Costa
ML
Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Federal University of Ceará, P.O. Box 12200, Fortaleza, Ceará, 60455-760, Brazil.
Bezerra
Daniel Pereira
DP
Alves
Ana Paula Negreiros Nunes
AP
de Alencar
Nylane Maria Nunes
NM
Mesquita
Rodney de Oliveira
Rde O
Lima
Michael Will
MW
Soares
Sandra de Aguiar
Sde A
Pessoa
Cláudia
C
de Moraes
Manoel Odorico
MO
Costa-Lotufo
Letícia Veras
LV
D000364:Agaricus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012510:Sarcoma 180 / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D005936:Glucans; D011134:Polysaccharides