Denise Heidrich Faria

Anti-tumour Screening of Brazilian Plants

Organic and aqueous extracts of 145 Brazilian plants (538 extracts) from 34 families were evaluated for anti-tumour activity against the human tumour cell lines HT29 and NCIH460. Of the extracts tested, 117 (22%) demonstrated cytotoxicity against one or both of the cell lines at a concentration of 100µg/ml. Of special interest are the families Anacardiaceae, Annonaceae, Asteraceae, Celestraceae, Leguminosae (Fabaceae), Meliaceae and Myrtaceae, which contain a high proportion of active species. On the basis of these results we are further examining the cytotoxic species, with the objective of isolating and identifying the active phytochemicals. These results also confirm the continuing importance of natural product screening models, alongside targeted drug development, in the discovery of new anti-neoplastic pharmacophores.

Synergistic Effect of Three Benzopyrans Isolated from Hypericum polyanthemum in U-373 MG Glioblastoma Cell Line

The antiproliferative activity of three benzopyrans isolated from the chloroform extract of the aerial parts of Hypericum polyanthemum was analysed in order to determine their effect on the growth and cell cycle in the U‐373 MG glioblastoma cell line. Compound 1 was less cytotoxic than compounds 2 and 3. A synergistic effect was noticed when the three benzopyrans were used simultaneously. The cytotoxicity noted could be related to an arrest in G2/M phase, leading to apoptosis in the U‐373 MG glioblastoma cell line. Copyright