Biflorin: an o-naphthoquinone of clinical significance.

Abstract

Biflorin is an o-naphthoquinone with proven cytotoxic effects on tumor cells showing antimicrobial, antitumor and antimutagenic activities. Biflorin is an isolated compound taken from the roots of the plant Capraria biflora L. (Schrophulariaceae), indigenous of the West Indies and South America, which is located in temperate or tropical areas. This compound has shown to be strongly active against grampositive and alcohol-acid-resistant bacteria. It has been efficient in inhibiting the proliferation tumor cell lines CEM, HL-60, B16, HCT-8 and MCF-7. Recently, SK-Br3 cell line was treated with biflorin showing important cytotoxic effects. In this article, information related to the first structural characterization studies are presented, as well as the latest reports concerning the biological activity of this molecule.

• Authors: Gabrielle G N S Wisintainer, Evelyne R B Simões, Telma L G Lemos, Sidnei Moura, Luciana G S Souza, Aluisio M Fonseca, Manoel Odorico Moraes, Claudia Pessoa, Mariana Roesch-Ely, João A P Henriques
• Journal: Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias (An Acad Bras Cienc) Vol. 86 Issue 4 Pg. 1907-14 (Dec 2014) ISSN: 1678-2690 [Electronic] Brazil
• PMID: 25590726 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Antifungal Agents
• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
• Naphthoquinones
• biflorin

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (chemistry, isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Antifungal Agents (chemistry, isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic (chemistry, isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Humans
• Naphthoquinones (chemistry, isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Scrophulariaceae (chemistry)