Preclinical and Clinical Studies of Lapachol and Beta-Lapachone

ABSTRACT

Lapachol whose isolation and study at the end of the century by Parternó, is one of the most brilliant chapters of Phytochemistry, especially in conjunction with the work of Max Siewert a communication on the wood of the Argentina Lapachol (Bignoniaceae) tree from Max Siewert, submitted along with Ricardo Napp in Exp. NAC. Philadelphia in 1876. The Lapachol has its origin in the Tabebuia avellanedae Lorentz ex. Griseb (Bignoniaceae) which in Brazil is known as Pau D′Arc, Ipê-purple, Ipê-Black, and Yellow-Ipê. It is a tree of huge size used in traditional medicine for cases of stomatitis, inflammatory processes in general and against cancer. β-Lapachone is an o-naphthoquinone from Lapachol used against, Trypanosome cruzi, cancer, viruses, bacteria, and leishmania is currently evaluated. This plant can also be found in other plant families such as, Verbenaceae Leguminosae, Sapotaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Malvaceae and Proteaceae. This paper aims at demonstrating the pharmacology and clinical activity of Lapachol and β-Lapachone, through their mechanism of action, and other actions which are not related to their anti neoplastic activity.