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    Pharmacognosy Communications
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    Pharmacognosy Communications
    retyeyutreu
    Original Article

    The Antiproliferative Properties of Uncaria tomentosa Willd. DC. extracts against Caco2 and HeLa Cancer Cell Lines

    wadmin2By wadmin2January 9, 2018Updated:August 12, 2021No Comments2 Mins Read
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    Jaixi Shen1,2, Joseph Shalom1,3, Ian Edwin Cock1,3*
    1Environmental Futures Research Institute, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia.
    2School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, CHINA.
    3School of Natural Sciences, Nathan Campus, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Rd, Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia.

    Pharmacognosy Communications,2018,8,1,8-14.
    DOI: 10.5530/pc.2018.1.3
    Published: January-2018
    Type: Original Article

    ABSTRACT

    Introduction: Uncaria tomentosa is used in Central and South American folk medicine to treat a variety of diseases. It is particularly well known for treating cancer and studies have confirmed its activity against some carcinoma cell lines. However, to date, U. tomentosa extracts have only been screened against a limited panel of cancer cells. Methods: Solvent extracts were prepared from U. tomentosa inner bark and their antiproliferative activities against Caco2 and HeLa cancer cells were determined by an MTS based cell proliferation assay. Toxicity was determined using the Artemia franciscana nauplii bioassay. Results: Methanolic and aqueous U. tomentosa extracts were strong inhibitors of Caco2 and HeLa cell proliferation, with IC50 values generally below 1500 μg/mL. The methanolic extract was particularly effective, with IC50 values of 881 and 763 μg/mL against Caco2 and HeLa cells respectively. In contrast, the mid to lower polarity solvent extractions (ethyl acetate, chloroform and hexane) were less potent inhibitors of cell proliferation. Indeed, exposure of the Caco2 cells to the chloroform and hexane extracts produced proliferation levels equivalent to those of the untreated control. Cell imaging studies detected morphological features consistent with apoptosis in Caco2 cells exposed to the methanolic and aqueous U. tomentosa extracts, indicating that these extracts are functioning by cytotoxic mechanisms. All U. tomentosa extracts were nontoxic in the Artemia franciscana bioassay, with LC50 values substantially >1000 μg/mL. Conclusions: The antiproliferative activity of the U. tomentosa inner bark extracts against HeLa and Caco2 cancer cell lines indicates their potential in the treatment and prevention of some cancers.

    Key words: Cat’s claw, Uña de gato, Rubiaceae, Anticancer activity, Antiproliferative activity, Caco2, HeLa, Apoptosis.

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    About Journal

    Pharmacognosy Communications [Phcog Commn.] is a quarterly journal published by Phcog.Net. It is a peer reviewed journal aiming to publish high quality original research articles, methods, techniques and evaluation reports, critical reviews, short communications, commentaries and editorials of all aspects of medicinal plant research. The journal is aimed at a broad readership, publishing articles on all aspects of pharmacognosy, and related fields. The journal aims to increase understanding of pharmacognosy as well as to direct and foster further research through the dissemination of scientific information by the publication of manuscripts. The submission of original contributions in all areas of pharmacognosy are welcome.
    Indexed and Abstracted in : Chemical Abstracts, Excerpta Medica / EMBASE, Google Scholar, CABI Full Text, Ulrich’s International Periodical Directory, ProQuest, Journalseek & Genamics, PhcogBase, EBSCOHost, Academic Search Complete, Open J-Gate, SciACCESS.
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