Antitumoral and antiangiogenic activity of Synadenium umbellatum Pax.
OBJECTIVE
Synadenium umbellatum Pax (SU), a plant used in the Midwestern region of Brazil, was tested for its antitumor and antiangiogenic activities in vitro, using K-562 and Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) cells, and in vivo, using the EAT-bearing model.


METHODS
The viability of tumor cells was evaluated by MTT and trypan blue exclusion assays, after incubation with the ethanolic extract of SU (EESU) (0.15-20mg/mL) or equivalent concentrations of its partitioned fractions (chloroformic, hexanic, and methanolic). In vivo studies were performed in EAT-bearing mice treated intraperitoneally with 5, 10, and 25mg/kg of the EESU or equivalent doses of the fractions for 10 days. The methotrexate (1.5mg/kg), for 10 days, was used as control.


RESULTS
SU and fractions, except the methanolic, decreased the viability of the cells in a concentration-dependent manner. In vivo results showed a significant dose-dependent antitumoral efficacy of SU against EAT growth. The best results in prolonging life span were produced by 25mg/kg of EESU. In these animals, the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor were markedly decreased after the treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The data presented herein could open interesting perspectives for further research of SU as a candidate anticancer agent.
Nogueira
Iara Antonia L
IA
Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia Celular, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, UFG, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
Leão
Aryane B B
AB
Vieira
Marcelo de S
Mde S
Benfica
Polyana L
PL
da Cunha
Luiz Carlos
LC
Valadares
Marize C
MC
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001938:Brazil; D002286:Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019665:Euphorbiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D020014:K562 Cells; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse