Polyphenolic compounds are widely distributed in the plant kingdom and display a variety of
biological activities, including
chemoprevention and
tumor growth inhibition.
Propolis is made up of a variety of polyphenolic compounds. We compared how the routes of administration of polyphenolic compounds deriving from
propolis and of
propolis itself affect the growth and metastatic potential of a transplantable mammary
carcinoma (MCa) of the CBA mouse. The influence of tested compounds on local
tumor growth was also studied.
Metastases in the lung were generated by 2 x 10(5)
tumor cells injected intravenously (IV). A water-soluble derivative of
propolis (WSDP) and polyphenolic compounds (
caffeic acid, CA, and CA phenethyl
ester, CAPE) were given to mice per os (PO) or intraperitoneally (IP) before or after
tumor cell inoculation. Tested compounds significantly decreased the number of lung colonies. When mice were inoculated with 10(5) MCa cells in the exact site of
subcutaneous injection of different doses of WSDP, CA, or CAPE,
tumor growth was inhibited, and survival of treated mice was prolonged. Antitumor activity, according to the results obtained, is mostly related to the immunomodulatory properties of the compounds and their capacity to induce apoptosis and
necrosis. In conclusion, results presented here indicate that WSDP, CA, and CAPE could be potential useful tools in the control of
tumor growth in experimental
tumor models when administrated PO; because PO administration is the easiest way of introducing a compound used for prevention and/or cure of any disease, it is likely that this article has reached the goal of the investigation.