title: Comparision of the cytotoxic effects of birch bark extract, betulin and betulinic acid towards human gastric carcinoma and pancreatic carcinoma drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cell lines.
abstract: Betulin and betulinic acid are naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenes showing cytotoxicity towards a number of cancer cell lines. These compounds can be found in the bark of the many plants. In this report we have compared the cytotoxic activity of crude birch bark extract and purified betulin and betulinic acid towards human gastric carcinoma (EPG85-257) and human pancreatic carcinoma (EPP85-181) drug-sensitive and drug-resistant (daunorubicin and mitoxantrone) cell lines. Our results show significant differences in sensitivity between cell lines depending on the compound used, and suggest that both betulin and betulinic acid can be considered as a promising leads in the treatment of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego, Poland. marcin.drag@pwr.wroc.pl
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drag
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Surowiak
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drag-Zalesinska
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dietel
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lage
authors.forename: Józef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oleksyszyn
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D029662:Betula / Q000737:chemistry*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000187:drug effects*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000094062:Betulinic Acid
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014315:Triterpenes; C002503:betulin; D000094062:Betulinic Acid