Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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BETULINIC ACID AND BETULIN DEMONSTRATE ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY AGAINST DETROIT 562 PHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA CELL LINE

ROMINA BIȚĂ 1,#, RALUCA-ADRIANA MILUTINOVICI 2,3,#, ANDRA ARDELEAN 4*, ȘTEFANIA-IRINA DUMITREL 5,6, DOINA CHIORAN 7,8, DARIUS CREȚU 4, COSMIN SINESCU 7,9, ALINA ANTON 5,⁶

¹ Discipline of General and Dento-Maxillary Radiology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine
and Pharmacy, 9 Revoluției 1989 Boulevard, 300070 Timișoara, Romania
2 Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 9 Revoluției
19 89 Boulevard, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
3 Orthodontic Research Centre (ORTHO-CENTER), Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and
Pharmacy, 9 Revoluției 1989 Boulevard, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
4 Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 9 Revoluției 1989 Boulevard,300070,
Timișoara, Romania
5 Research Centre for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluations, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie
Murgu Square, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
6 Department of Toxicology, Drug Industry, Management and Legislation, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University
of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
7 Department of Anaesthesiology and Oral Surgery, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu
Square, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
8 Research Centre of Dento-Alveolar Surgery, Anaesthesia and Sedation in Dental Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of
Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
9 Research Centre in Dental Medicine Using Conventional and Alternative Technologies, Faculty of Dental Medicine, “Victor
Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 9 Revoluției 1989 Boulevard, 300070, Timișoara, Romania

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Although there have been advances in current treatments for OPSCC (oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma), its manage- ment remains challenging due to the toxicity of current treatments, resistance and recurrence. These limitations have prompt- ed the search for novel, innovative therapeutic strategies to optimize beneficial effects and minimize toxic effects. Betulinic acid (BA) and betulin (BET) are triterpenoids derived from natural sources that have received considerable attention for their activity against cancer cells. Although the antitumor effects of both compounds are well documented in the scientific litera- ture, data regarding their activity in pharyngeal cancer are limited. In light of these premises, the present study aims to char- acterize the effects of BA and BET in terms of their cytotoxic activity and apoptotic/necrotic cell death patterns, their impact on nuclear and mitochondrial morphology, and alterations in mitochondrial membrane potential.