Antitumour activity of coumarin in prostate and mammary cancer models

The antineoplastic and antimetastatic activities of coumarin were evaluated in transplanted prostate tumours of the rat. The growth of Noble Nb-R prostate tumours was strongly inhibited by coumarin (40 mg/kg; administered three times per weck), whereas the hormonally more sensitive Dunning R3327-G rat prostate carcinoma did not respond. Coumarin was also shown to possess antimetastatic activity in a Dunning R3327-MatLu tumour model. The number of lung metastases was reduced significantly by 40%–50% following the adminstration of coumarin (40 mg daily). Preliminary data from experiments with rats bearing DMBA-induced mammary carcinomas showed that these tumours are as sensitive to coumarin as Noble-R-prostate tumours.