An ethanolic extract of Uncaria tomentosa reduces inflammation and B16- BL6 melanoma growth in C57BL/6 mice.

Abstract

Extracts of the bark of Uncaria tomentosa (Cat’s Claw – Una de Gato) have been used traditionally for their anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. We investigated the effect of a hydroethanolic extract (UT) of U. tomentosa on a) the viability of primary and tumor cells, b) the inflammatory response (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interleukin-6 [IL-6] and nitric oxide [NO]) both in vitro and in vivo, c) B16/BL6 melanoma cell growth and metastasis in the C57BL/6 mouse, and d) nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activity in LPS-stimulated HeLa cells. UT did not show an important cytotoxic effect in vitro at the doses up to 300 μg/ml, but did inhibit tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. UT inhibited TNF-α, IL-6 and NO production in vitro. NF-κB activity was also inhibited. Our studies show that UT merits further study for its effects on processes common to inflammation and cancer.