scholarly journals SPIRULINA – A WONDER NUTRACEUTICAL AGAINST CANCER: A REVIEW

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (No 1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kawalpreet Kaur ◽  
Saranjeet Kaur

Spirulina, a filamentous and spiral-shaped blue-green alga, contains an array of bioactive compounds and has emerged to be a nutraceutical. It has a unique blend of around 70 biologically active compounds which enhances its therapeutic significance. Its role against carcinogenesis can be attributed to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of ingredients like C-Phycocyanin, ?-Carotene, Calcium Spirulan, Linoleic and Linolenic acids. Spirulina extracts were shown to enhance endonuclease activity, DNA repair and induction of apoptosis in cells. Some studies also reported myelosuppression and enhanced immune function. Murine studies indicated there was a possibility of reversing the mechanism of carcinogenesis, particularly in oral, stomach, breast and skin cancers as well as in doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and DBMA-induced tumours. Spirulina also appeared to reduce cardio-, nephro- and hepato-toxicity in rodents. The chemo and radioprotective effect of Spirulina was also observed in various carcinogenic human cell lines. The C-phycocyanin component was shown to induce apoptosis in HeLa cells in vitro. Commercially available Spirulina is administered as an adjunct to chemotherapy. The evidence of effectiveness of Spirulina in cancer is extremely limited as far as the clinical trials are concerned. The Spirulina studies conducted on various types of carcinogenesis show a degree of similitude but are in a haphazard state. The current anatomization is an attempt on part of the authors to coalesce all the contemporaneous data and create a systematic review.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
ling wang ◽  
yang yu ◽  
cong zhou ◽  
run wan ◽  
Yumin Li

Abstract Background and objectives: Cancer morbidity and mortality rates remain high, and thus, at present, considerable efforts are focused on finding drugs with higher sensitivity against tumor cells and fewer side effects. Several preclinical and clinical studies have examined the potential of repurposing disulfiram (DSF) as an anticancer treatment. This systematic review aimed to assess evidence regarding the antineoplastic activity of DSF in in vitro and in vivo models, as well as in humans.Methods: Two authors independently conducted this systematic review of English and Chinese articles from the PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases up to July 2019. Eligible in vitro studies needed to include assessments of the apoptosis rate by flow cytometry using annexin V/propidium iodide, and studies in animal models and clinical trials needed to examine tumor inhibition rates, and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results: Overall, 35 studies, i.e., 21 performed in vitro, 11 based on animal models, and three clinical trials, were finally included. In vitro and animal studies indicated that DSF was associated with enhanced apoptosis and tumor inhibition rates. Human studies showed that DSF prolongs PFS and OS. The greatest anti-tumor activity was observed when DSF was used as combination therapy or as a nanoparticle-encapsulated molecule.Conclusions: This systematic review provides evidence regarding the anti-tumor activity of DSF in vitro, in animals, and in humans and indicates the optimal forms of treatment to be evaluated in future research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Silva Andrade ◽  
Fernanda de Souza Rangel ◽  
Naiane Oliveira Santos ◽  
Andria dos Santos Freitas ◽  
Wagner Rodrigues de Assis Soares ◽  
...  

The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak originally appeared in China in December 2019 and became a global pandemic in March 2020. This infectious disease has directly affected public health and the world economy. Several palliative therapeutic treatments and prophylaxis strategies have been used to control the progress of this viral infection, including pre-(PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis. On the other hand, research groups around the world are still studying novel drug prophylaxis and treatment using repurposing approaches, as well as vaccination options, which are in different pre-clinical and clinical testing phases. This systematic review evaluated 1,228 articles from the PubMed and Scopus indexing databases, following the Kitchenham bibliographic searching protocol, with the aim to list drug candidates, potentially approved to be used as new options for SARS-CoV-2 prophylaxis clinical trials and medical protocols. In searching protocol, we used the following keywords: “Covid-19 or SARS-CoV-2” or “Coronavirus or 2019 nCoV,” “prophylaxis,” “prophylactic,” “pre-exposure,” “COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 Chemoprophylaxis,” “repurposed,” “strategies,” “clinical,” “trials,” “anti-SARS-CoV-2,” “anti-covid-19,” “Antiviral,” “Therapy prevention in vitro,” in cells “and” human testing. After all protocol steps, we selected 60 articles that included: 15 studies with clinical data, 22 studies that used in vitro experiments, seven studies using animal models, and 18 studies performed with in silico experiments. Additionally, we included more 22 compounds between FDA approved drugs and drug-like like molecules, which were tested in large-scale screenings, as well as those repurposed approved drugs with new mechanism of actions. The drugs selected in this review can assist clinical studies and medical guidelines on the rational repurposing of known antiviral drugs for COVID-19 prophylaxis.


2011 ◽  
Vol 212 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atul Purohit ◽  
Paul A Foster

Estrogens and androgens are instrumental in the maturation of many hormone-dependent cancers. Consequently, the enzymes involved in their synthesis are cancer therapy targets. One such enzyme, steroid sulfatase (STS), hydrolyses estrone sulfate, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate to estrone and dehydroepiandrosterone respectively. These are the precursors to the formation of biologically active estradiol and androstenediol. This review focuses on three aspects of STS inhibitors: 1) chemical development, 2) biological activity, and 3) clinical trials. The aim is to discuss the importance of estrogens and androgens in many cancers, the developmental history of STS inhibitor synthesis, the potency of these compounds in vitro and in vivo and where we currently stand in regards to clinical trials for these drugs. STS inhibitors are likely to play an important future role in the treatment of hormone-dependent cancers. Novel in vivo models have been developed that allow pre-clinical testing of inhibitors and the identification of lead clinical candidates. Phase I/II clinical trials in postmenopausal women with breast cancer have been completed and other trials in patients with hormone-dependent prostate and endometrial cancer are currently active. Potent STS inhibitors should become therapeutically valuable in hormone-dependent cancers and other non-oncological conditions.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natascia Brondino ◽  
Simona Re ◽  
Annalisa Boldrini ◽  
Antonella Cuccomarino ◽  
Niccolò Lanati ◽  
...  

Dementia is a leading health problem worldwide, with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) representing up to 60% of all dementia cases. A growing interest has recently risen on the potential use of natural molecules in this condition. Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound traditionally used in Indian medicine. Severalin vitroandin vivostudies have found a protective effect of curcumin in AD. In the present systematic review we aimed to evaluate the state-of-the-art of clinical trials of curcumin in AD. We retrieved three published studies, while there are several ongoing clinical trials. To date there is insufficient evidence to suggest the use of curcumin in dementia patients. Of note, short-term use of curcumin appears to be safe. Several reasons could be responsible for the discrepancy betweenin vitroandin vivofindings and human trials, such as low bioavailability and poor study design.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aborode Abdullahi Tunde

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) is a global health emergency of serious health concern. However, there is no current medical treatment, although it is much needed for patient contracting the severe form of the disease. This systematic review was to explain the information regarding chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 via the data obtain from PubMed and other three trial Registries which were searched for review and the use of chloroquine in patients with COVID-19. Four articles were included (one narrative letter, one in-vitro study, one commentary and one editorial) and review on other 14 ongoing clinical trials in China. Chloroquine seems to have great potential in reducing the replication of SARS-CoV-2 (virus causing COVID-19) in vitro. There is high chance, pre-clinical evidence of effectiveness and information of safety from long-time clinical use for other indications to describe the clinical research on Chloroquine in patients with COVID-19. However, clinical description should either adhere to the Monitored Emergency Use of Unregistered Interventions (MEURI) framework or be ethically approved as a trial as stated by the World Health Organization. Safety data and data from high-quality clinical trials are urgently needed.


Author(s):  
Divya RSJB Rana ◽  
Santosh Dulal

AbstractThe corona virus disease -2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a massive global public health havoc. Recent published clinical trials show conflicting data for use of chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19. This study meticulously evaluated the various dosages of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine utilized in clinical trials registered in Chinese and US clinical trial registries for the treatment of pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, the results of published clinical trials and in vitro studies using chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine relevant to the disease are discussed.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 6237
Author(s):  
Rossana Percario ◽  
Paolo Panaccio ◽  
Fabio Francesco di Mola ◽  
Tommaso Grottola ◽  
Pierluigi Di Sebastiano

Background: colorectal cancer (CRC) has a multifactorial etiology which comprises microbiota, genetic predisposition, diet, environmental factors, and last but not least, a substantial contribution by inflammation. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the literature regarding the strong link between inflammation and colorectal cancer. Methods: A systematic review of the literature on PubMed (Medline), Scopus, Cochrane and EMBase databases was performed, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Each paper was reviewed by two groups of researchers in a single-blind format by using a pre-planned Microsoft© Excel® grid. Results: Using automated research filters, 14,566 studies were included, but 1% was found significant by the reviewers. Seventy pathways of inflammation were described in the sequence of inflammation-carcinogenesis, and anti-tumorigenic molecules were also found. Conclusion: several studies suggest a strong role of inflammation in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer through different pathways: this may have a diagnostic and clinical role and also therapeutic purpose in preventing carcinogenesis by treating inflammation. In vitro tests support this theory, even if many other clinical trials are necessary. The present paper was registered in the OpenScience Framework registry (Identifier: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/2KG7T).


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 2403-2403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constantine S. Mitsiades ◽  
Nicholas Mitsiades ◽  
Melissa Rooney ◽  
Joseph Negri ◽  
Corey C. Geer ◽  
...  

Abstract We have previously shown that inhibitors of the hsp90 molecular chaperone (including geldanamycin, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxy-geldanamycin (17-AAG) and other members of the ansamycin family) potently induce growth arrest and apoptosis of a large panel of drug-sensitive and -resistant MM cell lines, as well as tumor cells freshly isolated from patients with relapsed refractory MM; and sensitize these cells to other pro-apoptotic anti-tumor agents. While multiple phase I clinical trials have shown that biologically active doses of 17-AAG can be administered without significant hsp90-related toxicities, the insolubility of this compound in most conventional clinical solvents, as well as the practical limitations of DMSO-based formulations that were used in the original clinical trials have generated the need to develop more effective and practical approaches to administer 17-AAG to patients. Herein we describe the in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical profile of IPI-504, a novel analog of 17-AAG, which is soluble in aqueous formulations and can bypass key limitations of the DMSO-based formulations for administration of 17-AAG. Our in vitro studies show that IPI-504 has anti-tumor activity against a broad panel of primary MM tumor cells as well as MM cell lines (including cells resistant to cytotoxic chemotherapeutics, proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, thalidomide or its immunomodulatory thalidomide derivatives, and/or Apo2L/TRAIL). Based on hierarchical clustering analyses, logistic and linear regression models, we observed that the profiles of drug sensitivity of MM cells to IPI-504 were consistent with the profiles of sensitivity to 17-AAG. Similarly, IPI-504 triggered a constellation of molecular sequelae that were consistent with hsp90 inhibition by 17-AAG, including suppression of cell surface expression and down-stream signaling (via PI-3K/Akt and Ras/Raf/MAPK) of receptors for IGF-1 and IL-6; decreased intracellular levels of several key kinases, including Akt, Raf, IKK-α; suppressed expression of several intracellular anti-apoptotic proteins (e.g. FLIP, XIAP, cIAP2); leading to tumor cell sensitization to other pro-apoptotic agents (e.g. cytotoxic chemotherapy or PS-341). Importantly, in our mouse model of diffuse MM bone lesions in SCID/NOD mice, IPI-504 (50 mg/kg, i.v. twice weekly) was able to prolong the survival of mice vs. vehicle-treated mice (p<0.01, log-rank test), without significant treatment-related toxicities. These results indicate that hsp90 inhibitors have significant anti-MM activity in vivo, which, coupled with our ex vivo mechanistic and molecular profiling studies, have provided the framework for upcoming clinical trials of this novel class of agents in patients with MM.


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