Anticancer activity of a quercetin-based polymer towards HeLa cancer cells.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Quercetin is one of the most potent antioxidants showing anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and antitumoral effects; however its short half-life in buffered solution (e.g. body fluids) has so far hampered its introduction into clinical practice.

AIM:

To overcome this inconvenience, quercetin was covalently conjugated into a polymethacrylic acid backbone and the conjugate was tested on HeLa cancer cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

FT-IR, UV-Vis, Gel Permeation Chromatography analyses and the Folin-Ciocalteu test were performed to characterize the conjugate. Antioxidant properties were assessed by the DPPH test and the viability experiments by trypan blue exclusion assay.

RESULTS:

The conjugate showed a functionalization degree of 2.01 mg of Q per g, an IC(50) of 2.62 mg ml(-1) in the DPPH assay and was able to induce a 90% cell death after one day treatment, while the value for free Quercetin was 40% after three days.

CONCLUSION:

Polymer conjugation significantly increases quercetin stability, leading to a sustained activity of the flavonoid.

• Authors: Francesco Puoci, Catia Morelli, Giuseppe Cirillo, Manuela Curcio, Ortensia Ilaria Parisi, Pamela Maris, Diego Sisci, Nevio Picci
• Journal: Anticancer research (Anticancer Res) Vol. 32 Issue 7 Pg. 2843-7 (Jul 2012) ISSN: 1791-7530 [Electronic] Greece
• PMID: 22753746 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Antioxidants
• Polymethacrylic Acids
• Quercetin

Topics

• Antineoplastic Agents (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Antioxidants (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Chromatography, Gel
• Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
• Drug Stability
• HeLa Cells
• Humans
• Polymethacrylic Acids (chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Quercetin (analogs & derivatives, chemical synthesis, chemistry, pharmacology)
• Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
• Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared