Research suggests natural compound may hold promise as new alternative treatment for colon cancer

A new study has found that a natural compound found in the fruit may be an effective alternative treatment for colon cancer. The disease, which affects the large intestine, remains a major global health concern and ranks as the third most common cancer in the world.

With the World Health Organization predicting an alarming 3.2 million new infections and 1.6 million deaths per year by 2040, innovative and less toxic treatments are urgently needed. .

An international team of scientists from the University of Portsmouth and the University of Hong Kong has discovered that a polyphenol called Schisandrin B (Sch B) exhibits significant anti-tumor effects against colon cancer.

This compound is found in the fruit of Schisandra chinensis, also known as magnolia or Schisandra berry, which grows in the forests of northern China, the Russian Far East, and South Korea. Wild species also exist in Japan, and are often used in plant-based foods and drinks.

existing research Sch B has shown anticancer effects against liver cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, stomach cancer, and gallbladder cancer. Until now, the mechanism underlying the antitumor effect of Sch B in colon cancer was not completely understood.

Lead author Dr Murphy Wang, from the School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Portsmouth, said: ‘Traditional cancer treatments are often associated with a range of side effects and organ toxicities, which reduce patients’ quality of life. ” states.

“Chemotherapy for colon cancer is also expensive. In the UK alone, the economic loss from colon cancer is estimated at £1 billion.”

“Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new approaches to cancer treatment that may lead to improved clinical outcomes. Our data demonstrate the potential to provide safe and cost-effective treatment options. I discovered a completely new approach to

the study, was announced on ACS Pharmacology and Translational Scienceused a combination of Raman spectroscopy, RNA sequencing, and molecular and biological experiments.

We found that Sch B has the following advantages:

• It is a type of natural polyphenol with high tumor-killing ability and high specificity.
• It treats various stages of colon cancer, but is particularly effective against late-stage colon cancer.
• It has been shown to have very low toxicity to normal cells compared to currently available drugs.

“Polyphenols have been shown to be highly effective in preventing cancer development and exhibiting anticancer effects,” said co-author Professor Hani El Nezami of the University of Eastern Finland Faculty of Medicine. It has strong antioxidant properties and helps prevent cancer.” Prevents cells from spreading. ”

“Our findings support the hypothesis that Sch B has the same therapeutic effects on colon cancer as it does on other types of cancer.”

“By elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying its antitumor effects, we have laid the foundation for further exploration of this compound as a potential therapeutic option.”

The research team recommends that this compound should be further studied as a new and more specific approach to colon cancer treatment.