Antiproliferative effects of mitraphylline, a pentacyclic oxindole alkaloid of Uncaria tomentosa on human glioma and neuroblastoma cell lines

Phytomedicine. 2007 Apr;14(4):280-4. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2006.12.023. Epub 2007 Feb 12.

Abstract

Uncaria tomentosa inner bark extract is a popular plant remedy used in folk medicine to treat tumor and inflammatory processes. In this study, the anti-tumoral effects of its pentacyclic alkaloid mitraphylline were investigated. Furthermore, its growth-inhibitory and cytotoxic effects on glioma GAMG and neuroblastoma SKN-BE(2) cell lines were studied using cyclophosphamide and vincristine as controls. A colter counter was used to determine viable cell numbers, followed by application of the tetrazolium compound [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium], inner salt, colorimetric method to evaluate cell viability in this cytotoxicity assay. Micromolar concentrations of mitraphylline (from 5 to 40 microM) inhibited the growth of both cell lines. It inhibited the growth of the two cell lines studied in a dose-dependent manner. The IC(50) values were 12.3 microM (30h) for SKN-BE(2) and 20 microM (48 h) for GAMG, respectively. This action suggests that mitraphylline is a new and promising agent in the treatment of human neuroblastoma and glioma.

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / administration & dosage
  • Alkaloids / pharmacology
  • Alkaloids / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / therapeutic use
  • Cat's Claw*
  • Cell Line, Tumor / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects*
  • Glioma / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Indole Alkaloids / administration & dosage
  • Indole Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Indole Alkaloids / therapeutic use
  • Indoles / administration & dosage
  • Indoles / pharmacology
  • Indoles / therapeutic use
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Neuroblastoma / drug therapy
  • Oxindoles
  • Phytotherapy*
  • Plant Bark
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Indole Alkaloids
  • Indoles
  • Oxindoles
  • Plant Extracts
  • 2-oxindole
  • mitraphylline