Evaluation of acetone cyanohydrin effect in "in vitro" inativation of the Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

PURPOSE: To evaluate the antitumor effect of acetone cyanohydrin in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells in vitro. METHODS: The Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and lymphocytes were incubated with different concentrations of acetone cyanohydrin (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 10.0, 20.0 and 30.0 μg.mL-1), After 1, 2, 3, 4, 18 and 24 hours cell viability tests were performed by the trypan blue method. RESULTS: The results demonstrated a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect against the cells of Ehrlich ascites tumor. The concentrations of 20 and 30 μg.mL-1 was 100% of cell death in only 1 and 2 hours respectively. In lower doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 μg.mL-1 the cytotoxic effect was less intense, increasing gradually with time. CONCLUSIONS: At low concentrations of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 μg.mL-1, more than 90% of cell death was observed only after 24 hours of incubation which is the evidence that the tumor cell has the ability to poison cumulatively and irreversibly itself with the acetone cyanohydrin when compared with the results presented by human lymphocytes that the same doses and at the same time of incubation reached a maximum of 30% of cell death, suggesting an activity of rhodanese differentiated between the two cells.