Avaliação da atividade natural Killer de animais portadores do tumor subcutâneo de Ehrlich e tratados com extrato de Aveloz (Euphorbia tirucalli L.)

Abstract

Introduction: Due to aging and lifestyle of the population, the cancer incidence has been increased, becoming a public health problem. Conventional treatments are often inefficient and harmful to the patients' health, stimulated the use of biological response modifiers. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of Aveloz on the natural killer (NK) activity of subcutaneous (sc) Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice. Materials and Methods: Animals (Swiss mice, 50 days old, n = 64) were sc inoculated with 1x10 6 EHR cells (EHR and EHR/Aveloz group) or buffered saline solution (control group and Aveloz) and treated daily (gavage) with Aveloz extract (67mg/kg, 0.1mL/animal) or extract diluent for 7 and 14 days. 24 hours after the end of the treatment, the animals were euthanized and the spleen remove s for evaluations. Results: Statistical analysis showed that there was not difference between the treatments. However, it is possible to observe that the EHR tumor stimulated NK activity of splenic cells at 7 days (Control: 14.81 ± 16.63, EHR: 24.43 ± 16.64) and 14 days (Control: 1, 9 ± 1.63, EHR: 18.71 ± 13.19) and the Aveloz tr eatment seems to reduce this effect (7 days: EHR/Aveloz: 10.34 ± 11.68, EHR: 24.43 ± 16.64, 14 days: EHR/Aveloz: 12.56 ± 8.21, EHR: 18.71 ± 13.19). Conclusion: The results demonstrated that Aveloz treatment did not induce the NK activity of the Ehrlich tumor-bearing mice.