ABSTRACT
Tapirira guianensis (Stick pigeon), a widely-used herbal medicine, has been reported to possess various biological activities. The aim of this study was the phytochemical analysis of the fractions of extracts of T. guianensis and the investigation of the action of these extracts on the activity of gelatinases using zymography. Matrix metalloproteinases (gelatinases) have prognostic influences in human cancers, where higher expressions of these enzymes are associated with increased aggressiveness and biological behavior of tumors. Many natural products have been tested on several stages of carcinogenesis to demonstrate their effectiveness in the inhibition or activation of molecules that are important for tumor progression. This study identified the fractions obtained from the crude extract of T. guianensis (Stick pigeon), which efficiently inhibited gelatinases.