Immune Stimulation and Proapoptotic Effect of Honey Bee Propolis Against Solid Ehrlich Carcinoma Bearing Mice

Background Hyperthermia produces marked effects on many biochemical parameters of tumor cells and has been reported to potentiate the effect of many drugs. We therefore evaluated the possible synergistic effect between hyperthermia and cisplatin against solid Ehrlich carcinoma. The study was based on the measurement of some biologic characteristics in tumor tissues, namely: DNA, RNA, and protein content and their rate of synthesis as parameters for nuclear damage; total lipids and cholesterol as parameters for membrane damage; acid-phosphatase and acid-ribonuclease as parameters for lysosomal damage; and tumor volume as a direct parameter for tumor growth. Methods Treatment of solid Ehrlich carcinoma by hyperthermia at 43 °C for 30 min for 3 successive days produced a 41.5 % decrease in tumor volume, as well as a significant decrease in nucleic acids, protein contents and their rate of synthesis, in total lipids and cholesterol, and in acid-phosphatase and acid-ribonuclease. Chemotherapeutic management of the tumor by 5 mg/kg × 3 of cisplatin alone showed a continuous increase in tumor volume but at a lower rate than that of the untreated control. However, when cisplatin was given 1 h prior to hyperthermia, the tumor volume was significantly decreased by 82.6 %. Results The effects observed on all the investigated parameters were intensified when cisplatin was combined with hyperthermia. The results obtained suggest that hyperthermia may enhance the penetration of cisplatin to its target site inside the tumor cells due to a membrane-damaging effect. The enhanced lethality of cisplatin on tumor cells may also be due to the inhibition of DNA repair processes by hyperthermia.

Download Full-text

Spirulina platensisLacks Antitumor Effect against Solid Ehrlich Carcinoma in Female Mice

Advances in Pharmacological Sciences ◽

10.1155/2015/132873 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Waleed Barakat ◽

Shimaa M. Elshazly ◽

Amr A. A. Mahmoud

Keyword(s):

Protective Effect ◽

Antitumor Effect ◽

Ehrlich Carcinoma ◽

Blue Green Alga ◽

Chemotherapeutic Drug ◽

Combined Administration ◽

Dose Levels ◽

Dose Dependent Increase ◽

Dose Dependent ◽

Solid Ehrlich Carcinoma

Spirulina is a blue-green alga used as a dietary supplement. It has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties. This study was designed to evaluate the antitumor effect of spirulina (200 and 800 mg/kg) against a murine model of solid Ehrlich carcinoma compared to a standard chemotherapeutic drug, 5-fluorouracil (20 mg/kg). Untreated mice developed a palpable solid tumor after 13 days. Unlike fluorouracil, spirulina at the investigated two dose levels failed to exert any protective effect. In addition, spirulina did not potentiate the antitumor effect of fluorouracil when they were administered concurrently. Interestingly, their combined administration resulted in a dose-dependent increase in mortality. The present study demonstrates that spirulina lacks antitumor effect against this model of solid Ehrlich carcinoma and increased mortality when combined with fluorouracil. However, the implicated mechanism is still elusive.

Download Full-text