Antiproliferative effects of mitraphylline, a pentacyclic oxindole alkaloid of Uncaria tomentosa on human glioma and neuroblastoma cell lines.

Abstract

Uncaria tomentosa inner bark extract is a popular plant remedy used in folk medicine to treat tumor and inflammatory processes. In this study, the anti-tumoral effects of its pentacyclic alkaloid mitraphylline were investigated. Furthermore, its growth-inhibitory and cytotoxic effects on glioma GAMG and neuroblastoma SKN-BE(2) cell lines were studied using cyclophosphamide and vincristine as controls. A colter counter was used to determine viable cell numbers, followed by application of the tetrazolium compound [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium], inner salt, colorimetric method to evaluate cell viability in this cytotoxicity assay. Micromolar concentrations of mitraphylline (from 5 to 40 microM) inhibited the growth of both cell lines. It inhibited the growth of the two cell lines studied in a dose-dependent manner. The IC(50) values were 12.3 microM (30h) for SKN-BE(2) and 20 microM (48 h) for GAMG, respectively. This action suggests that mitraphylline is a new and promising agent in the treatment of human neuroblastoma and glioma.

• Authors: E García Prado, M D García Gimenez, R De la Puerta Vázquez, J L Espartero Sánchez, M T Sáenz Rodríguez
• Journal: Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology (Phytomedicine) Vol. 14 Issue 4 Pg. 280-4 (Apr 2007) ISSN: 0944-7113 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 17296291 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Alkaloids
• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
• Indole Alkaloids
• Indoles
• Oxindoles
• Plant Extracts
• 2-oxindole
• mitraphylline

Topics

• Alkaloids (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cat's Claw
• Cell Line, Tumor (drug effects)
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Glioma (drug therapy)
• Humans
• Indole Alkaloids (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Indoles (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Inhibitory Concentration 50
• Neuroblastoma (drug therapy)
• Oxindoles
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Bark
• Plant Extracts (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)