Planta Med 2003; 69(1): 67-69
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-37036
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Cytotoxic Effect of the Diterpene Lactone Dehydrocrotonin from Croton cajucara on Human Promyelocytic Leukemia Cells

Ana Claudia Galvão Freire1 , Patrícia da Silva Melo1 , Hiroshi Aoyama1 , Marcela Haun1 , Nelson Durán2 , Carmen Veríssima Ferreira1
  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
  • 2Biological Chemistry Laboratory, Institute of Chemistry, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
Further Information

Publication History

Received: April 9, 2002

Accepted: September 7, 2002

Publication Date:
04 February 2003 (online)

Abstract

Diterpenes exhibit potent antineoplastic properties against human and murine carcinoma cell lines. trans-Dehydrocrotonin from Croton cajucara, a Brazilian medicinal plant, is a nor-diterpene with antiulcerogenic activity. In this work, we examined the effect of trans-dehydrocrotonin (t-DCTN) on the vitality of HL60 cells by assessing the MTT reduction, protein content and phosphatase activity of these cells. Protein quantification indicated that t-DCTN reduced the number of cells with an IC50 of 500 μM; mitochondrial function (MTT reduction), was also inhibited (IC50 = 300 μM), when the cells were treated for 24 h. In contrast, when the cells were treated with this lactone in the initial plating and cultured for 96 h, t-DCTN was more toxic for all parameters analyzed: MTT and phosphatase activity (IC50 = 180 μM) and protein content (IC50 = 150 μM). The flavonoid utilized as positive control myricetin and the following IC50 values were obtained after 24 h of treatment: 300 and 192 μM for protein content and MTT reduction, respectively. According to the chemical characteristics of both compounds, the cytotoxic effect of t-DCTN could be explained through two mechanisms: adduct formation with DNA and proteins and/or oxidative stress induction.

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Dr. Carmen Veríssima Ferreira

Departamento de Bioquímica

Instituto de Biologia

Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)

Cidade Universitária

Cep: 13083-970 Campinas

São Paulo

Brazil

Fax: +55-19-3788-6129

Phone: +55-19-3788-6140

Email: carmenv@unicamp.br