Background
Betulin, a natural pentacyclic triterpene with the lupane structure that is present in significant amounts in the outer bark of birch, is known for its broad array of biological and pharmacological properties. Betulin has attracted attention as a potential, natural-origin antimicrobial substance. The literature describes it as selectively toxic to neoplastic cells but safe for normal cells. The research
Conclusions
The results indicate the need to verify the claim about the selective toxicity of betulin towards malignant cells and to conduct safety/toxicity tests before any potential therapeutic use of betulin in veterinary medicine.
Results
The results revealed an exceptionally high sensitivity of mitochondria to the effect of betulin, with the other endpoints being less sensitive. Although murine fibroblasts were more vulnerable to the toxic effect of betulin than fish fibroblasts, the betulin CC50 values for both cell lines were comparable with analogous IC50 values determined by other researchers in studies involving cancerous cells. Conclusions: The results indicate the need to verify the claim about the selective toxicity of betulin towards malignant cells and to conduct safety/toxicity tests before any potential therapeutic use of betulin in veterinary medicine.