Evaluation of the quimiopreventive potential of the Brazilian propolis red HYDROALCOOLIC extract

• Grant number: 18/02370-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: July 01, 2018
• End date: August 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Denise Crispim Tavares Barbosa
• Grantee: Karoline Soares de Freitas
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/04138-8 - Attainment of chemical, analytical, biological, pharmacological and technological studies to fill the gaps on the development of Brazilian propolis sector, AP.TEM

Abstract

The Brazilian red propolis, produced in the State of Alagoas, is a product synthesized by bees of the species Apis melífera, from the collect of exudates of plants of the species Dalbergia ecastophyllum (L) Taub., found mainly in estuaries, mangroves and in restinga vegetation. Rich in flavonoids, tannins, xanthones and terpenoids, this propolis has antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor activity. Considering the biological properties of this natural product, the present study aims to evaluate the chemopreventive potential of the red propolis hydroalcoholic extract (RPHE) in rodents. Therefore, the influence of RPHE will be evaluated on the genotoxicity induced by the chemotherapeutic doxorubicin, through the micronucleus test in Swiss mouse peripheral blood, and on pre-neoplastic lesions in the colon of rats induced by the carcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine, through the test of aberrant crypt foci. In order to understand the signaling pathways involved in the biological properties of RPHE, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities will be analyzed by expression of nuclear transcription factors NF-kB and Nrf2, respectively, using immunohistochemistry technique in colon rats. In addition, the anti-inflammatory activity will also be investigated by quantifying nitric oxide in macrophages isolated from the rats, by the flow cytometry. The systemic toxicity of the treatments will be evaluated by analyzing biochemical markers such as alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in rodents. The researches with Brazilian propolis have been promising in the search of new treatments, so that the results obtained in this study will contribute to a better understanding of the biological activities and mechanisms of action of this natural product. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE FREITAS, KAROLINE SOARES; DOMINGOS DA SILVA, LUCAS HENRIQUE; SQUARISI, IARA SILVA; DE SOUZA OLIVEIRA, LUCAS TEIXEIRA; RIBEIRO, ARTHUR BARCELOS; ALVES, BIANCA SILVA; ESPERANDIM, TABATA RODRIGUES; SANTOS DE MELO, MATHEUS REIS; OZELIN, SAULO DUARTE; LEMES, DANIELI CRISTINA; et al. Red propolis exhibits chemopreventive effect associated with antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory activities. TOXICOLOGY RESEARCH, v. 11, n. 5, p. 8-pg., 2022-08-23. (17/04138-8, 18/02370-3)

FERREIRA, NATALIA H.; CUNHA, NAYANNE L.; DE MELO, MATHEUS R. S.; FERNANDES, FERNANDA S.; DE FREITAS, KAROLINE S.; DO NASCIMENTO, SAMUEL; RIBEIRO, ARTHUR B.; DE SILVA, MARCIO L.; CUNHA, WILSON R.; TAVARES, DENISE C.. Betulinic acid exerts antigenotoxic and anticarcinogenic activities via inhibition of COX-2 and PCNA in rodents. JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR TOXICOLOGY, v. 35, n. 12, SEP 2021. (18/02370-3)