Bioensaio de Vernonia condensata Baker (Asteraceae) em modelo experimental in vivo

Natural products have received prominence in the last years, due to the enormous therapeutic and preventive potential that several plants have demonstrated. Cancer has a multifactorial origin and, currently, the treatment modalities of this disease cause significant side effects. Vernonia condensata Baker, a medicinal plant addressed in the present study, is already clearly applied in gastrointestinal dysfunctions and has antioxidant properties. The present study aims to contribute to the understanding of the antitumor activity of Vernonia condensata Baker and to verify the acute toxic effects of the use of the plant. The phytochemical study of the plant was carried out to detect bioactive compounds. Toxicity was assessed by the in vitro assay with Artemia saline Leach, used for determination of LC50; the in vivo analysis used the OECD 423 protocol to establish the LD50. Antitumor activity was performed using female Swiss albino mice divided into 4 groups with 5 animals (Negative control, standard, and treatments 100 mg / kg and 200 mg / kg, respectively), which were inoculated with Carcinoma tumor cells from Ehrlich. Several secondary metabolites were found in the phytochemical study of the plant, corroborating with information already described in the literature; the toxicity test showed no toxic side effects with LC50> 1000μg and LD50> 2000 mg / kg. Histological analysis also confirmed the absence of damage to the lungs, kidneys, spleen in the control group, and small liver changes (vessel congestion, binucleated hepatocytes and proliferation of Kupffer cells in the 2000 mg/kg group.) In the antitumor evaluation (100 and 200 mg / kg), as well as the groups treated with each other (100 mg / kg and 200 mg / kg) / kg), thus demonstrating the presence of tumor inhibition, less invasiveness and less tissue necrosis as the dose of Vernonia condensata Baker extract increased. The crude hydroethanolic extract of Vernonia condensata Baker showed no toxicity , which is feasible for experimental studies in vivo (animals), as well as demonstrated efficacy in tumor inhibition with less invasiveness of neoplastic cells and reduction of q The realization of new studies is important in the search to identify other cell lines on which the extract is effective. Possibly, in vitro studies with human tumor cell lines.