Bioactivity of Medicinal Bolivian Andean plants. Effects on cell proliferation and related processes.
Författare
Summary, in Swedish
Popular Abstract in English
Bolivia is the seventh richest country regarding biodiversity in the world. Also, in its territory more than 36 indigenous nations co-exist. Each of these has traditional medicines that are passed on from generation to generation orally. It has been estimated that the Bolivian flora has more than 20,000 plant species. Some of these are being explored for their pharmaceutical potential, especially for diseases of developing countries where medical costs must be restricted. Colon cancer is the third leading cause of death in the world, and the prognosis is poor.
In the work for this thesis, I evaluated forty different Bolivian plants that are used in traditional medicine or as foods, regarding their capacity to inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells. Also, three compounds isolated from them were evaluated and some experiments were done to understand the mechanism(s) involved in growth inhibition.
Extracts from six plants, Schkuria pinnata, Piper longestylosum, Parastrephia lepidophyla, Erodium cicutarium, Ambrosia arborescens, and Bacharis latifolia—at high concentrations—had the capacity to reduce the growth rate of colon cancer cells.
The three compounds isolated were all sesquiterpenes with different chemical characteristics. Curcuphenol, a sesquiterpene phenol, inhibited colon cancer cell growth and induced cell death due to apoptosis or programmed cell death. Damsin and coronopilin are sesquiterpene lactones; damsin inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells more than coronopilin, although their chemical structures are similar. Colon cancer cells exposed to damsin and coronopilin showed a marked reduction in DNA synthesis and and the data indicated that apoptosis had been stimulated at least by damsin in these cells.
These results thus showed some anti-cancer activity in Bolivian plants and compounds derived from them. Other studies should be performed to give us a better understanding of the chemical composition of these plants and the mechanisms behind the ability of these substances to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
Bolivia is the seventh richest country regarding biodiversity in the world. Also, in its territory more than 36 indigenous nations co-exist. Each of these has traditional medicines that are passed on from generation to generation orally. It has been estimated that the Bolivian flora has more than 20,000 plant species. Some of these are being explored for their pharmaceutical potential, especially for diseases of developing countries where medical costs must be restricted. Colon cancer is the third leading cause of death in the world, and the prognosis is poor.
In the work for this thesis, I evaluated forty different Bolivian plants that are used in traditional medicine or as foods, regarding their capacity to inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells. Also, three compounds isolated from them were evaluated and some experiments were done to understand the mechanism(s) involved in growth inhibition.
Extracts from six plants, Schkuria pinnata, Piper longestylosum, Parastrephia lepidophyla, Erodium cicutarium, Ambrosia arborescens, and Bacharis latifolia—at high concentrations—had the capacity to reduce the growth rate of colon cancer cells.
The three compounds isolated were all sesquiterpenes with different chemical characteristics. Curcuphenol, a sesquiterpene phenol, inhibited colon cancer cell growth and induced cell death due to apoptosis or programmed cell death. Damsin and coronopilin are sesquiterpene lactones; damsin inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells more than coronopilin, although their chemical structures are similar. Colon cancer cells exposed to damsin and coronopilin showed a marked reduction in DNA synthesis and and the data indicated that apoptosis had been stimulated at least by damsin in these cells.
These results thus showed some anti-cancer activity in Bolivian plants and compounds derived from them. Other studies should be performed to give us a better understanding of the chemical composition of these plants and the mechanisms behind the ability of these substances to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
Avdelning/ar
Publiceringsår
2012
Språk
Engelska
Dokumenttyp
Doktorsavhandling
Förlag
Lund University
Ämne
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Nyckelord
- Bolivian medicinal plants
- colon cancer
- cell proliferation
- DNA synthesis
- apoptosis
- caspase-3
- sesquiterpene
- curcuphenol
- damsin
- coronopilin
Status
Published
Handledare
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISBN: 978-91-7422-298-2
Försvarsdatum
20 december 2012
Försvarstid
10:15
Försvarsplats
Lecture Hall C, Center for Chemistry, Getingevägen 60, Lund University Faculty of Engineering
Opponent
- Lars Bohlin