Selective cytotoxicity of Dehydroleucodine on human MDA-MB231 tumor cells and normal lymphocytes

MONTT GUEVARA, M.; PENISSI, A; CARON , R; MADIN, S; BRUNA, F; VARGAS-ROIG, L

Córdoba

Congreso; XXXVIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Farmacología Experimental (SAFE); 2006

SAFE

The sesquiterpene lactone Dehydroleucodine (DhL) is the active principle of Artemisia douglasiana Besser, popularly known as "matico". This drug has cytoprotective action in gastrointestinal normal cells but its effect on tumor cells is yet unknown. The aim of this study was investigate whether DhL affects the viability of human mammary tumor cells (MDA-MB-231) and normal lymphocytes. MDA-MB-231 cells were cultured in DMEM (3 independent assays) and Lymphocytes (obtained from 4 donors by venous puncture) were resuspended in RPMI 1640. Cells were exposed to DhL (0, 5, 25, 50 and 100ìg/ml) for 15 or 60 minutes. Cell viability was evaluated by trypan blue exclusion test at 0, 4, 8 and 24 hours after DhL addition. Cell viability of MDA-MB-231 cells and lymphocytes was not affected with 15 min of DhL exposure. Viability of tumor cells was significantly decreased with 60 min of DhL exposure, 25ìg/ml affected the viability 24h after drug administration (p< 0.05) and 50ìg/ml DhL affected the viability 8h and 24h after treatment (p< 0.05). Surprisingly no tumor cells were observed in the plates treated with 100ìg/ml DhL since the 4h after treatment. Drug administration during 60 min did not affect cell viability of lymphocytes. These results suggest that DhL has a strong cytotoxic effect on tumor cells but not on normal lymphocytes at the concentration assayed. This work was supported by CONICET (PIP 5952)