Evaluation of anticancer activity of extracts and fractions of Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miquel (Piperaceae) microencapsulated and not

• Grant number: 12/07197-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2012
• End date: May 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Rodney Alexandre Ferreira Rodrigues
• Grantee: Pedro Henrique de Andrade
• Host Institution: Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas, Biológicas e Agrícolas (CPQBA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Paulínia , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, second only to cardiovascular disease. Many studies have been developed in search for new chemotherapeutic agents and in this context, the research of several natural products have been identified as a way for the discovery of new anticancer drugs. Some surveys show that the total number of drugs introduced in anti-cancer therapy in the period of 1981-2006, 63% are either natural products or compounds per se, synthetic or semi-synthetic based on natural productsThe CPQBA / UNICAMP, through previous aid from FAPESP (Antiproliferative activity and mechanism of cell death of extracts and active fractions of Anacardium humile St. Hill. (Anacardiaceae) and Pothomorphe umbellata (L.) Miquel-Piperaceae) and the student scholarship Juliana Sacoman Lessa (FAPESP Process 2004/11632-9) associated with the project, evaluated the Pothomorphe umbellata species, popularly known as pariparoba, capeba, and caapeba caapeba. Moreover, the CPQBA through specialized staff, participated in several other projects related to the area of natural products chemistry, among them the Bioprospecting of extracts and active principles obtained from plant species of São Paulo (FAPESP Process Project 2004 / 07943-9), within the program BIOprospecTA. It is intended, therefore, with this grant request to continue the work of Sacoman (2008), whose previous result allowed a great step has been taken in order to obtain an herbal with antiproliferative action. This time, to authenticate their antitumor activity, further tests will be performed in tumor models in vitro and in vivo and to evaluate the mechanism of tumor death by flow cytometry using Guava EasyCiteTMMiniSystem system, but using microencapsulation, a tool whose performance will be protecting the active principle contained in the extract, due to formation of a polymeric layer that acts as a protective film with major role in the stability of the molecule over the period of storage in pre-set conditions, simulating shelf life. (AU)