title: Cytotoxicity and apoptogenic effects of Lafoensia pacari.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The stem barks of Lafoensia pacari have been traditionally used not only by South Amerindians but also by Brazilian and Paraguayan populations for treating a variety of unhealthy conditions to which their biological potential has been scientifically documented in several reports over the last decade. Although its anticancer usage is also popular, no scientific support for such activity has been found.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To provide scientific evidence for the anticancer popularity of Lafoensia pacari.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extracts prepared according to the popular use along with a methanol extract and its four fractions were produced from Lafoensia pacari stem barks. The chromatogram profile of each one was obtained by HPLC. Several tumor cell lines were exposed to these solutions in in vitro assays and the effects evaluated by morphological, growth, and cell cycle status changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High toxicity determined by the lactate dehydrogenase levels with a significant drop in the cell proliferation index were found for all cell lines included in this study after exposition to Lafoensia pacari extract and fractions. The morphological features along with the expression of annexin V have strongly suggested apoptosis induction, which has been confirmed by G0/G1 cell cycle arrest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data have clearly shown that exposition of human tumor cell lines to Lafoensia pacari stem barks extract leads to apoptosis induction due to cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phases, supporting its anticancer use.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Lothário Meissner, 632, Jardim Botânico, 80210-170 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: danielabsmarcondes@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Daniela Beck
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: da Silva Marcondes
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Lothário Meissner, 632, Jardim Botânico, 80210-170 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: cris_loiva@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Cristiane Loiva
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Rua Francisco H. dos Santos, s/n, Jd. das Américas, 81531-990 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: lucas_bio@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Lucas Ferrari
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Lothário Meissner, 632, Jardim Botânico, 80210-170 Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Lothário Meissner, 632, Jardim Botânico, 80210-170 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: cid@ufpr.br.
authors.forename: Cid Aimbiré
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: de Moraes Santos
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Lothário Meissner, 632, Jardim Botânico, 80210-170 Curitiba, PR, Brazil; Laboratório de Hematologia, Departamento de Patologia Médica, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Av. Lothário Meissner, 632, Jardim Botânico, 80210-170 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Electronic address: almeriane@ufpr.br.
authors.forename: Almeriane Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Weffort-Santos
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001938:Brazil; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010239:Paraguay; D024301:Plant Bark; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018547:Plant Stems; D016192:Resting Phase, Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Apoptosis; Brazilian Cerrado plants; Cell cycle; Cytotoxicity; Lafoensia pacari; Tumor lineages