RESUMO
Papain, a phytotherapeutic agent, has been used in the treatment of eschars and as a debriding chemical agent to remove damaged or necrotic tissue of pressure ulcers and gangrene. Its benefits in these treatments are deemed effective, since more than 5000 patients, at the public university hospital at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have undergone papain treatment and presented satisfactory results. Despite its extensive use, there is little information about toxic and mutagenic properties of papain. This work evaluated the toxic and mutagenic potential of papain and its potential antioxidant activity against induced-H(2)O(2) oxidative stress in Escherichia coli strains. Cytotoxicity assay, Growth inhibition test, WP2-Mutoxitest and Plasmid-DNA treatment, and agarose gel electrophoresis were used to investigate if papain would present any toxic or mutagenic potential as well as if papain would display antioxidant properties. Papain exhibited negative results for all tests. This agent presented an activity protecting cells against H(2)O(2)-induced mutagenesis.
RESUMO
AIM: Cancer has emerged as a growing public health problem in many parts of the world. METHODOLOGY: We describe the synthesis of a series of carbohydrate-based isoquinoline-5,8-diones through the 1,4-addition reaction between 5,8-dioxo-5,8-dihydroisoquinoline and aminocarbohydrates. Halogenated quinones were also synthesized. Their inhibitory effects on the proliferation of human cancer cell lines were studied. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: The most promising compound, derived from isoquinoline-5,8-dione, containing ribofuranosidyl ring, was selectively active in vitro against H1299 cancer cells, with 1.7-fold higher activity than that of vinorelbine tartrate. This result suggests that the glycoconjugate in question may constitute a valuable lead compound to design and synthesize a more active and less toxic derivative with respect to the development of a new antitumor substance.