In vitro antiproliferative activity of alkaloids isolated from Tabernaemontana catharinensis A.DC (Apocynaceae)

Abstract

In this work, four alkaloids from the stem bark of T. catharinensis were isolated, namely: voacangine (1); ethyl apovincaminate (2); affinisine (3) and voachalotine (4). The alkaloids were tested in vitro for antiproliferative capacity in eight tumor cell lines: U251 (glioma), MCF-7 (breast), NCI-ADR/RES (drug resistant ovary), 786-0 (kidney), NCI-H460 (lung), HT-29 (colon), K562 (leukemia) and PC-3 (prostate) and a non-tumor keratinocyte cell line (HaCat). Antiproliferative activity was observed after 48 hours and results expressed as the concentration needed to induce 50% growth inhibition (GI50) in µM. The chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin was used as a standard. The alkaloid affinisine (3) was the most promising, showing moderate inhibition rates in addition to the cytotoxic and cytocidal effect against all strains tested. It also proved to be a very promising compound, showing high selectivity rates when compared to the non-tumor keratinocyte cell line (HaCat).

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Tabernaemontana catharinensis
• Apocynaceae
• indole alkaloids
• antiproliferative activity
• affinisine

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

 

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) and CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnologico).