title: Biological effects of aqueous extract from Turkey vulture Cathartes aura (Cathartidae) meat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cathartes aura is a bird used in the Mexican traditional medicine for the empirical treatment of cancer, injuries, infections and burns.
  
  
  METHODS
  The in vitro immunomodulatory effects of Cathartes aura extract (CAE) were evaluated estimating its effects on proliferation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and murine splenocytes. The effects of CAE (1-200 μg/ml) on NO production, pinocytosis and lysosomal enzyme activity were assayed in murine macrophages RAW 264.7. The cytotoxic effects of CAE (1-500 μg/ml) on tumorigenic and non tumorigenic cells were evaluated using the MTT assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the absence of LPS, CAE induced the proliferation of murine splenocytes (119%), enhanced the pinocytosis (113%) and lysosomal enzyme activity (141%) in murine macrophages with a similar potency than lypopolisaccharides 1 μg/ml. In addition, CAE exerted cytotoxic effects mainly on human cervical cancer cells (IC(50)=117 μg/ml) but lacked toxic effects on non tumorigenic cells (IC(50)>500 μg/ml).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cathartes aura exerts immunostimulatory and cytotoxic activities.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Avenida Articulo 123, Fraccionamiento Filadelfia, Gómez Palacio, Durango 35010, México.
authors.forename: Maria del Rosario
authors.initials: Mdel R
authors.lastname: Jacobo-Salcedo
authors.forename: Maria del Carmen
authors.initials: Mdel C
authors.lastname: Juárez-Vázquez
authors.forename: Luis Ángel
authors.initials: LÁ
authors.lastname: González-Espíndola
authors.forename: Sandra Patricia
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Maciel-Torres
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Carrancá
authors.forename: Angel Josabad
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Alonso-Castro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001717:Birds; D002460:Cell Line; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010873:Pinocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D045424:Complex Mixtures; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D009569:Nitric Oxide