Antitumor activity of leaves of Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel-Apocynaceae (janaguba) in the treatment of Sarcoma 180 tumor

Eliane Leite De Sousa,Guilherme Carvalho Ribeiro Rodrigues,Maria Joselice E Silva,Ana Ruth Sampaio Grangeiro,Cicero Ernandes Leite De Sousa,Ivone Antonia De Souza,Isla Vanessa Gomes Alves Bastos,Falba Bernadete Ramos Dos Anjos

doi:10.1590/s1984-82502010000200005

Abstract

Himatanthus drasticus, also known as janaguba, is used popularly in Brazil's Northeastern region in the treatment of cancer. However, no scientific reports are available. The present study is the first investigation on the antitumor activity of crude methanolic extract from Himatanthus drasticus leaves against Sarcoma 180 tumor and on its side effects including acute oral toxicity. The OECD 423 methodology was used to study acute oral toxicity, and the STOCK methodology to assess antitumor activity. The crude extract showed low toxicity at the tested doses (50, 300 and 2000 mg/kg) administered orally. The histopathological analyses demonstrated alterations in liver lung, spleen and kidney. It also showed activity against Sarcoma 180 tumor in male Swiss albino mice, evidencing tumor growth inhibition of 67.7% and 68% at 300 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg doses, respectively.

Highlights

Plants contain a wide variety of compounds that have important biological activity including anticancer activity (Ramakrishna et al, 1984)
The acute toxicity of the methanolic extract from the leaves of Himatanthus drasticus was evaluated in mice using the up-and-down procedure (OECD, 423)
Leaves of Himatanthus drasticus were collected in December of 2007 at Araripe National Forest, Jardim, Ceará, Brazil, and identified by Marlene Barbosa, PhD

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Plants contain a wide variety of compounds that have important biological activity including anticancer activity (Ramakrishna et al, 1984). The toxicity determination of plant extracts is relevant because there is no single beneficial effect whereas biotransformation occurs, and these products can have toxic side effects which are harmful to human health (Hilary et al, 2004). There are no studies describing its leaves or anti-tumoral activity (Amaro et al, 2006a; Colares et al, 2008). In 2008, Colares et al isolated and identified an ethanolic extract from H. drasticus stem bark, namely, triterpene lupeol cinnamate which is probably a substance with potential for anti-tumor activity. The acute oral toxicity and antitumor activity against Sarcoma 180 tumor of the crude methanolic extract from Himatanthus drasticus leaves was described.

Acute oral toxicity

Plant material

Extract preparation

Antitumor activity

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Snout Edema