BACKGROUND: Zapotin, a flavonoid associated with Casimiroa edulis, was isolated as part of a program to discover natural inhibitors of carcinogenesis. Zapote blanco, the fruit of Casimiroa edulis, is consumed in many parts of the world. Zapotin is a non-toxic inducer of cellular differentiation, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest with cultured HL-60 promyelocytic cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An efficient chemical synthesis for zapotin was devised. Using this synthetic material, activity was examined in the two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model. RESULTS: Topical zapotin significantly inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced mouse skin tumorigenesis, using the anti-initiation and anti-promotion protocols. CONCLUSION: Encouraging results from previous and current in vivo studies warrant further investigation of the chemopreventive activity of zapotin.
BACKGROUND:Zapotin, a flavonoid associated with Casimiroa edulis, was isolated as part of a program to discover natural inhibitors of carcinogenesis. Zapote blanco, the fruit of Casimiroa edulis, is consumed in many parts of the world. Zapotin is a non-toxic inducer of cellular differentiation, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest with cultured HL-60 promyelocytic cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An efficient chemical synthesis for zapotin was devised. Using this synthetic material, activity was examined in the two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis model. RESULTS: Topical zapotin significantly inhibited 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced mouse skin tumorigenesis, using the anti-initiation and anti-promotion protocols. CONCLUSION: Encouraging results from previous and current in vivo studies warrant further investigation of the chemopreventive activity of zapotin.