Modulating action of Solanum lycocarpum on the carcinogenesis of colon and liver in Wistar rats

Abstract

The identification and development of new molecules with selective antineoplasic activity - which can preferentially kill tumor without significant toxicity to normal tissues - is a field of study increasingly exploited. The Solanum lycocarpum, a native plant from Brazilian Cerrado, and popularly known as "fruit-of-wolf" or "wolf-gray", has been used in folk medicine to control diabetes, obesity and reduction of cholesterol levels. Solasonine and solamargine are the two major glycoalkaloids found in at least 100 Solanum species, and literature has shown that solamargine inhibits tumor cell proliferation. Continuing the studies previously developed, in which we noted the antitumor potential of solamargine in vitro, the present research aims to investigate the anticarcinogenic activity of the Solanum lycocarpum fruits glicoalkaloid extract (EGSL) in vivo. More specifically, the propose is to evaluate the chemopreventive effect of EGSL on rat colon and liver carcinogenesis. Morphological (aberrant crypt foci), histopatological (GST-P+ foci) and genomic (expression of tumor supressor gene TP53, K-ras oncogene, DNA repair genes XRCC1, XRCC3 e XPD and genes related to apoptosis TNF, FADD, Bax, Bcl-2, caspasis -9, -8 e -3) analyses will be performed. Therefore, since the antitumor potential of the EGSL is expected, we hope to provide a range of information for better understanding and definition of its mechanism(s) of action of in carcinogenesis, and also to contribute for identification and use of new anticancer compounds obtained from the Brazilian flora. (AU)