Banca de DEFESA: Luciana Soares Gueiros da Motta

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : Luciana Soares Gueiros da Motta
DATE: 30/01/2025
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Online - https://meet.google.com/sak-dujt-mhd
TITLE:

“Effects of ayahuasca tea (Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis) on tumors”

KEY WORDS:

“Ayahuasca, Cancer, B16F10, MCF7, U87MG, NIH3T3, C57/BL6

PAGES: 100
BIG AREA: Ciências da Saúde
AREA: Farmácia
SUMMARY:

“Cancer is the leading cause of death and a significant barrier to increasing life expectancy in all countries worldwide. Conventional treatments have considerable adverse effects, requiring research for the development of new therapies. In this context, ayahuasca tea has stood out. The investigation of psychoactive plants and their mechanisms of action have provided insights into the neurochemistry of many diseases. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive infusion from the Amazon, prepared and consumed since time immemorial by indigenous peoples as a spiritual and ritual instrument for protection and healing in various regions of the world. Ayahuasca tea generally consists of a combination of two plants, prepared through decoction and infusion of the vine Banisteriopsis caapi (“mariri”) and the leaves of Psychotria viridis (“chacrona”). Its fundamental chemical composition includes the β-carbolines harmine (HRM), harmaline (HRL) and tetrahydroharmine (THH) present in mariri, while chacrona contains the principal alkaloid, N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a molecule substance similar to the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT), with hallucinogenic properties. This study aimed to investigate the effects of exposure to ayahuasca tea on tumor cell lines in vitro and in an experimental tumor model in vivo. In in vitro tests, cell viability results after 24-hour incubation with ayahuasca tea at different doses showed that the non-tumor NIH3T3 cell line exhibited increased viability when treated with the lowest doses, which was reversed at doses starting from 1 mg/mL, initiating a marked reduction in cell viability. The U87MG tumor cell line showed a trend toward reduced viability at lower treatment doses, which was significant at doses of 0,5; 1; 2,5 and 3,5 mg/mL. The MCF7 tumor cell line exhibited a significant reduction in cell viability at doses of 1; 3,5 and 5 mg/mL. The B16F10 tumor cell line presented a dose-dependent reduction in cell viability, becoming significant at doses starting from 1 mg/mL; this cell group was more sensitive to treatment, as the highest dose resulted in the lowest viability (29%). Based on the cell viability test results, the IC50 for each tumor type was calculated: for NIH3T3 and MCF7, the IC50 is 2,5 mg/mL; for U87MG the IC50 is 1,5 mg/mL and for B16F10, the IC50 is 1 mg/mL. In in vivo tests, after melanoma tumor inoculation and growth, animals received oral doses of 1X, 2X, and 5X once daily for 10 consecutive days. From the 13th day of the experiment, there was a significant reduction in animal weight when comparing the control groups to the highest treatment dose group, by the 19th, this significant weight reduction was observed in all groups treated with ayahuasca. No significant differences were found in tumor volume, white blood cell count and platelet count analyses. The results of red blood cell revealed significant differences in MCH between the negative control and 5X groups and in RDW between the positive control and 1X groups. Biochemical analyses showed a marked and significant reduction in AST levels between tumor-free untreated animals and those treated with 2X the ayahuasca tea dose. Organ weights (lung, stomach, intestine, and tumor) did not show significant differences among experimental groups. The brain exhibited a significant weight increase between the positive control group and tumor-free untreated animals. The thymus showed a significant weight decrease between the positive control and untreated groups. A significant reduction in kidney weight was noted between tumor-free groups and those receiving the highest ayahuasca tea dose. Regarding liver weight, all tumor-bearing animals showed an increase, which was significant when comparing untreated animals to those receiving the usual tea dose. The organ with the most significant variation was the spleen. Although in vitro results for the B16F10 tumor cell line were promising, they did not translate into animal cure. Therefore, further studies are necessary to complement the presented data in search of doses that may effectively exhibit therapeutic effects in vivo.”

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Interna - 1707068 - ALINE PIC
Externa ao Programa - 2932843 - LAISE RODRIGUES DE ANDRADE - UnBExterno à Instituição - RHAUL DE OLIVEIRA - IFNMG
Externa à Instituição - THAYRES DE SOUSA ANDRADE - UFC
Externo à Instituição - WILLIE OLIVEIRA PINHEIRO - UnB