Effects of Norcantharidin on the Main Organs and Tissues of Mice

Norcantharidin (NCTD), a demethylated derivative of cantharidin, reportedly exhibits various biological anticancer activities including apoptosis, inhibition of cell proliferation, cell-cycle blockage, induction of cell apoptosis, and anti-angiogenesis. NCTD is currently used as an anticancer drug for hepatoma, breast cancer and colorectal adenocarcinoma. However, the effects of NCTD on the organs and tissues in vivo remain largely unknown. Here, we pathologically examined the effects of NCTD on the organs and tissues including liver, heart, kidney, spleen and medulla in mice. After mice were treated with 60 daily intraperitoneal injections of NCTD (2.5 mg/kg or 5 mg/kg), toxicity on the heart and kidneys were not discovered but on the liver was a significant increase according to the injection dose and the date. The number of leucocytes had a tendency to rise in the peripheral blood test and there weren’t any pathological changes in the spleen and medulla. NCTD has no side effects on spleen and hematopoietic system and applying for a considerable period at a certain dose may not reduce the number of leucocyte but rather shows tendency of increasing which will have great influence on the onco-immune of the host. It is concluded that NCTD is suitable for the application of the anti-cancer treatment with no myelo-suppression.