RESUMO
Carapa guianensis (Andiroba, Meliaceae) is considered a multipurpose tree. In Brazil, Indigenous people have used it as insect repellent and in the treatment of various diseases. Most biological activities and popular uses are attributed to limonoids, which are highly oxygenated tetranortriterpenoids. More than 300 limonoids have been described in Meliaceae family. Limonoids from Andiroba oil have shown high anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities in vivo, by inhibiting platelet activating factors and many inflammatory mediators such as IL-5, IL-1ß and TNF-α. It also reduced T lymphocytes, eosinophils and mast cells. In corroboration with the wide popular use of Andiroba oil, no significant cytotoxicity or genotoxicity in vivo was reported. This oil promotes apoptosis in a gastric cancer cell line (ACP02) at high concentrations, without showing mutagenic effects, and is suggested to increase the body's nonspecific resistance and adaptive capacity to stressors, exhibit some antioxidant activity, and protect against oxidative DNA damages. Recently, new methodologies of toxicological assays have been applied. They include in chemico, in vitro, in silico and ex vivo procedures, and take place to substitute the use of laboratory animals. Andiroba by-products have been used in sustainable oil production processes and as fertilizers and soil conditioners, raw material for soap production, biodegradable surfactants and an alternative natural source of biodegradable polymer in order to reduce environmental impacts. This review reinforces the relevance of Andiroba and highlights its ability to add value to its by-products and to minimize possible risks to the health of the Amazonian population.
RESUMO
The oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the eighth more common cancer in men. The development of new and more efficient drugs is needed. Plants of the genus Piper are popularly used in the treatment of many diseases. This study evaluated the antitumor effect of extract, fraction and isolated compounds from leaves of P. rivinoides in oral cancer. The isolated compounds (conocarpan, eupomatenoid-5 and eupomatenoid-6) were effective in inducing cell death in OSCC cell lines (SCC4, SCC9 and SCC25) compared to the standard chemotherapeutic agent carboplatin, and this effect was time-dependent. Conocarpan was more selective and stable than eupomatenoid-5 and eupomatenoid-6, resembling the stability of carboplatin. There was a significant presence of pyknotic nuclei and active caspase-3 expression under conocarpan treatment, suggesting cell death through apoptosis. In conclusion, conocarpan was the most effective compound against OSCC cells and might be considered for future cancer studies.