title: Lapachol as an epithelial  tumor inhibitor agent in Drosophila melanogaster heterozygote for tumor  suppressor gene wts.
abstract: The search for new  and effective antitumor agents with fewer cytotoxic side effects on normal  tissue has increasingly become important. Lapachol, a natural organic compound  isolated from the lapacho tree (Tabebuia avellandedae), is chemically  identified as belonging to the naphthoquinone group and is known for its  anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antibiotic properties, although there are  questions about its effectiveness for treating neoplasic cells. We evaluated  the antitumoral effects of lapachol by testing for clones of epithelial tumors  in Drosophila melanogaster. Seventy-two-hour old larvae bred from wts/TM3, Sb(1) females and mwh/mwh males, were treated with different concentrations of lapachol (20, 40 and  60 μg/mL). Lapachol alone did not  significantly increase the number of epithelial tumors. However, lapachol did  significantly reduce the number of tumors provoked by doxorubicin.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Genética e Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil.
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Nepomuceno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004317:Doxorubicin; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D029663:Tabebuia / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D010936:Plant Extracts; C532921:mwh protein, Drosophila; D004317:Doxorubicin; C008252:lapachol; D011494:Protein Kinases; C093503:wts protein, Drosophila