Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory potential, and chemical characterization of the dichloromethane fraction of Solanum lycocarpum (Solanaceae) ripe fruits by LC-DAD-MS.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Solanum lycocarpum A. St. Hil. (Solanaceae) is a species from the Brazilian Cerrado, exhibiting several medicinal properties, being used by the population in the treatment of ulcers, bronchitis, asthma and hepatitis, which involve inflammatory processes. AIM OF THIS STUDY: This study aimed to chemically characterize the dichloromethane fraction (DCM), as well as verify its antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The DCM fraction was obtained by partitioning the ethanol extract. The chemical constituents of the DCM fraction were characterized by LC-DAD-MS. The DPPH and FRAP assays were used to evaluate the antioxidant potential. The carrageenan-induced paw edema model was used to assess the anti-inflammatory effects, and the inflammatory infiltrate was evaluated by qualitative and quantitative histological analyses. The antinociceptive action of the DCM fraction was evaluated by acetic acid-induced abdominal writhing test, formalin-induced nociception and hot-plate test. RESULTS: Steroidal alkaloids solasonine, solasodine and solamargine, as well as the alkaloid peiminine/imperialine and caffeoylquinic acids, were annotated in DCM fraction by LC-DAD-MS. The DCM fraction showed antioxidative action in the in vitro DPPH and FRAP tests, as well as an anti-inflammatory effect for the three evaluated doses of 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg in the fourth and sixth hours after the administration of carrageenan. The histological analyses evidenced considerably reduction in leukocyte migration and the number of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The study also demonstrated antinociceptive activity for the DCM fraction, which reduced abdominal writhing at three concentrations evaluated, as well as a decrease in paw licking in the formalin-induced nociception test both in the neurogenic phase and the inflammatory phase, with greater effectiveness compared to the anti-inflammatory indomethacin. The DCM fraction also increased the latency time of the animals in the hot plate test 60 min after treatment, although it did not seem to involve the opioidergic system. CONCLUSION: This work evidenced that the dichloromethane fraction of S. lycocarpum fruit possesses antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory potential, which supports its use in folk medicine for management inflammatory conditions.

Daily intake of watercress causes inhibition of experimental Ehrlich tumor growth / O consumo diário de agrião causa inibição do crescimento do tumor experimental de Ehrlich

ABSTRACT Introduction: Increasing cruciferous vegetable intake has been associated with reduced risk of cancer. Experimental and epidemiological studies suggest that the watercress it is a cruciferous vegetable with high concentration of compounds with recognized antitumor activity. Objective: To investigate the effects of daily intake of an aqueous solution of watercress on the growth of the experimental Ehrlich tumor (EET). Methods: Swiss mice were divided into three groups A, B and C (n = 6). The animals from the control group (A) received, by gavage, 0.05 ml of saline throughout the experiment. The animals in group B, from the first day of the experiment, received daily, by gavage, 0.05 ml of watercress aqueous solution (0.5 g/ml). The animals from group C began, on day 21, daily intake of this solution. At day 21.2 × 106 EET cells were inoculated subcutaneously in the left footpad of all mice, and tumor growth was assessed by measuring the thickness of the paw. On day 42, the animals were sacrificed and their footpads removed for histopathological analysis. Results: The animals from groups B and C have showed a suppression of tumor growth and a small area of necrosis compared to the animals of group A. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the daily intake of aqueous solution of watercress was able to activate a suppression of the EET growth, probably due to the main compounds with antitumor properties present in this vegetable.

RESUMO Introdução: O aumento da ingestão de vegetais crucíferos tem sido associado à redução de risco de câncer. Estudos experimentais e epidemiológicos sugerem que o agrião é um vegetal crucífero que apresenta alta concentração de compostos com reconhecida atividade antitumoral. Objetivo: Investigar o efeito do consumo diário de solução aquosa de agrião no crescimento do tumor experimental de Ehrlich (TEE). Métodos: Camundongos Swiss foram separados em três grupos, A, B e C (n = 6). Os animais do grupo-controle (A) receberam, por gavagem, 0,05 ml de solução salina durante todo o experimento. Os animais do grupo B, a partir do 1º dia do experimento, receberam diariamente, por gavagem, 0,05 ml de solução aquosa de agrião (0,5 g/ml). Os animais do grupo C, no 21º dia, iniciaram a ingestão diária dessa solução. No 21º dia, todos os camundongos foram inoculados subcutaneamente no coxim plantar esquerdo com 2 × 106 células do TEE (0,05 ml), e o desenvolvimento tumoral foi avaliado pela mensuração da espessura das patas. No 42º dia, os animais foram sacrificados e suas patas, removidas para análise histopatológica. Resultados: Os animais dos grupos B e C apresentaram supressão do crescimento tumoral e menor área de necrose em relação aos animais do grupo A. Conclusão: O presente estudo demonstrou que a ingestão diária de solução aquosa de agrião foi capaz de causar supressão do crescimento do TEE provavelmente devido aos principais compostos presentes neste vegetal com propriedades antitumorais.

Induction of apoptosis in tumor cells as a mechanism of tumor growth reduction in allergic mice.

Cancer is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Analysis of epidemiological data has revealed a negative relationship between allergic conditions and cancer incidence. This study addresses the effects of chronic antigen ingestion by sensitized mice (allergy) on Ehrlich tumor growth in mouse footpad. Mice were sensitized (allergic) or not (sham) with ovalbumin and challenged orally with egg white solution. After one week of oral challenge, all mice were inoculated with experimental Ehrlich tumor (EET) cells in the footpad, and tumor growth was evaluated for 21 days. A decrease in tumor growth occurred, as assessed by paw thickness in the allergic group, which was associated with smaller areas of necrosis, reduced infiltration of neutrophils, and reduced levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-10. Although, the tumor proliferation rate was similar in both groups, an increase in apoptosis occurred in allergic mice. In conclusion, analysis of the data obtained allows us to suggest that a concomitant allergic condition would reduce tumor progression through increased tumor cell apoptosis, accompanied by reduced areas of necrosis at the tumor site. Indeed, such findings suggested a possible mechanism for the reduced cancer incidence observed in allergic individuals.