Anticancer and anti-inflammatory activity of red propolis and its bioactive compounds

• Grant number: 13/24416-1
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: João Ernesto de Carvalho
• Grantee: Thais Petrochelli Banzato
• Home Institution: Centro Pluridisciplinar de Pesquisas Químicas, Biológicas e Agrícolas (CPQBA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Paulínia , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Natural products are a major source of drugs effective in the treatment of cancer and often inspire the development of new potential agents. Several experimental models have demonstrated anticancer action of these compounds through changes in signal transduction pathways that modulate gene expression, metabolism, apoptosis, progression, proliferation and cell death. Propolis has been used empirically as a traditional remedy in folk medicine for centuries and are reported in the literature numerous biological properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti - inflammatory and antitumor activities. The Brazilian propolis has a chemically differentiated primarily by the diversity of plant species used for their production. Recently, it was found in the state of Alagoas the red propolis, which has its base in unique chemical composition Isoflavones, suggesting new biological potential for this new type of propolis. Thus, the current study proposes bioassay-guided fractionation and isolatin of propolis to evaluate in vitro antiproliferative activity in a panel of human tumor cell lines and type of cell death, addressing the key proteins involved in the apoptotic process. In addition, we will evaluate the in vivo anticancer activity, anti-inflammatory, proliferation and cell death, with the key pro-inflammatory mediators, parameters of proliferation and apoptosis.