title: Anticancer activity of a quercetin-based polymer towards HeLa cancer cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quercetin is one of the most potent antioxidants showing anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and antitumoral effects; however its short half-life in buffered solution (e.g. body fluids) has so far hampered its introduction into clinical practice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To overcome this inconvenience, quercetin was covalently conjugated into a polymethacrylic acid backbone and the conjugate was tested on HeLa cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  FT-IR, UV-Vis, Gel Permeation Chromatography analyses and the Folin-Ciocalteu test were performed to characterize the conjugate. Antioxidant properties were assessed by the DPPH test and the viability experiments by trypan blue exclusion assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The conjugate showed a functionalization degree of 2.01 mg of Q per g, an IC(50) of 2.62 mg ml(-1) in the DPPH assay and was able to induce a 90% cell death after one day treatment, while the value for free Quercetin was 40% after three days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polymer conjugation significantly increases quercetin stability, leading to a sustained activity of the flavonoid.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende (CS), 87036, Italy. francesco.puoci@unical.it
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Puoci
authors: Catia
authors: C
authors: Morelli
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Cirillo
authors: Manuela
authors: M
authors: Curcio
authors: Ortensia Ilaria
authors: OI
authors: Parisi
authors: Pamela
authors: P
authors: Maris
authors: Diego
authors: D
authors: Sisci
authors: Nevio
authors: N
authors: Picci
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004355:Drug Stability; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D011794:Quercetin