title: Effect ofPaullinia cupanaon MCF-7 breast cancer cell response to chemotherapeutic drugs.
abstract: Previous studies suggested that certain plants, such as guarana (Paullinia cupana), exert a protective effect against cancer-related fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. However, guarana possesses bioactive molecules, such as caffeine and catechin, which may affect the pharmacological properties of antitumor drugs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of guarana on breast cancer cell response to 7 chemotherapeutic agents currently used in the treatment of breast cancer. To perform this study, MCF-7 breast cancer cells were cultured under controlled conditions and exposed to 1, 5 and 10 µg/ml guarana concentrations, with and without chemotherapeutics (gemcitabine, vinorelbine, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, paclitaxel, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide). The effect of these treatments on MCF-7 cell viability and proliferation was spectrophotometrically analyzed with the MTT assay. The main results demonstrated an antiproliferative effect of guarana at concentrations of 5 and 10 µg/ml and a significant effect on chemotherapeutic drug action. In general, guarana improved the antiproliferative effect of chemotherapeutic agents, causing a decrease of >40% in cell growth after 72 h of exposure. The results suggested an interaction of guarana with the chemotherapeutic drugs, which requires confirmation byin vivocomplementary studies.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology, Center of Health Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Everaldo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hertz
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Biochemistry and Toxicology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francine Carla
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Cadoná
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology, Center of Health Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alencar Kolinski
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology, Center of Health Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Verônica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Azzolin
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Biochemistry and Toxicology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holmrich
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biogenomics, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul 97105-900, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Assmann
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology, Center of Health Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ledur
authors.affiliation: Open University of the Third Age, State University of Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Euler Esteves
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology, Center of Health Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil ; Laboratory of Biogenomics, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul 97105-900, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Olmiro Cezimbra
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: DE Souza Filho
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Biochemistry and Toxicology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil ; Laboratory of Biogenomics, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul 97105-900, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Fernanda
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Mânica-Cattani
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology, Center of Health Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil ; Postgraduate Program in Biochemistry and Toxicology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil ; Laboratory of Biogenomics, Center of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul 97105-900, Manaus, Amazonas 69050-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ivana Beatrice Mânica
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: DA Cruz
keywords: antitumor; breast cancer; chemotherapy; fatigue; guarana