Ethanolic Extract of Propolis Augments TRAIL-Induced Apoptotic Death in Prostate Cancer Cells
Szliszka E, Czuba ZP, Bronikowska J, Mertas A, Paradysz A, Krol W.
Researchers in Poland examined the role of ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP), a compound of bee glue, as an immunomodulatory, chemo-preventive, and antitumor complementary and alternative medicine. In combination with tumor-necrosis factor-related apoptosis-induced ligand (TRAIL)-a naturally occurring agent that induces cell death in cancer-EEP extracted from bee glue was applied to two cancer cell lines-hormone-sensitivity LNCaP and hormone-refractory DU125-in a lab-controlled setting.
Initially, the prostate cancer cell lines appeared to be resistant to TRAIL-induced cell death, but when used in combination with EEP, achieved a markedly different outcome. When applied to LNCaP prostate cancer cells, apoptosis increased to 74.9 ± 0.7 percent and 57.4 ± 0.7 percent in DU145 cells. In conclusion, the introduction of EEP altered the rate of TRAIL-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells, suggesting its role as an effective complementary and alternative medicine for prostate cancer chemo-prevention.1
Analyzing Serum-Stimulated Prostate Cancer Cell Lines after Low-Fat, High-Fiber Diet and Exercise Intervention
Soliman S, Aronson WJ, Barnard RJ.
Prostate cancer has long been the most common form of cancer occurring in the U.S. male population and in recent years, has been on the rise in less-developed nations. Many attribute this increase to the adoption of a westernized high-fat diet and latent lifestyle. The Department of Physiological Science and Department of Urology at the Geffen School of Medicine and the University of California, examined the role of complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of prostate cancer. The study followed five cancer-free men in their early sixties enrolled in a three-week longevity program. At the beginning of the study, serum was extracted from each subject and once again collected at the close of the three-week period. During the longevity program, the men followed a restricted diet and a stringent exercise plan. The serum was then applied to prostate cancer cells in a lab-controlled environment. Post-program serum reduced the growth and increased apoptosis in androgen-dependent LNCaP cells. However, when applied to androgen-independent PC-3 cells (advanced cancer), the affect on growth was diminished and serum-induced apoptosis was not observed. In conclusion, a low-fat, high-fiber diet and daily exercise proves promising as a complementary and alternative prostate cancer preventative agent and presents a possible benefit in prostate cancer treatment, though evidence suggests, not for late-stage disease.2
Epicatechins Purified from Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Differentially Suppress Growth of Gender-Dependent Human Cancer Cell Lines.
Ravindranath MH, Saravanan TS, Monteclaro CC, Presser N, Ye X, Selvan SR,
Brosman S.
In this study, the John Wayne Cancer Institute, Hoag Cancer Center, and Pacific Clinical Research of Santa Monica and Newport Beach, California examined the complementary and alternative role of epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), EC 3-gallate (ECG) and EGC 3-gallate (EGCG)- polyphenols found in green tea-on prostate and ovarian cancer. Researchers compared the growth rate of non-treated organ-confined and metastatic prostate cancer against cells infused with the above stated green tea polyphenols. EC treatment limited cancer cell proliferation by a factor of 50 percent in organ-confined prostate cancer, whereas EGCG reduced proliferation of all cell lines (organ-confined, metastatic, and ovarian cancer) by this same percentage. ECG proved even more effective, requiring a smaller dosage before having an effect on cancer cell proliferation. Whereas EGCG needed 89, 45, 62, and 42 microM for each cancer type, ECG needed only 24, 27, 29, and 30 microM to suppress cell growth. In conclusion, polyphenols found in green tea present antitumor qualities and may prove beneficial as a complementary and alternative medicine for the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer.3
1 Ewelina Szliszka , Zenon P. Czuba , Joanna Bronikowska , Anna Mertas , Andrzej Paradysz , and Wojciech Krol
Ethanolic Extract of Propolis Augments TRAIL-Induced Apoptotic Death in Prostate Cancer Cells
eCAM: Advance Access published on November 5, 2009, DOI 10.1093/ecam/nep180.
2 Sherry Soliman , William J. Aronson , and R. James Barnard
Analyzing Serum-Stimulated Prostate Cancer Cell Lines After Low-Fat, High-Fiber Diet and Exercise Intervention: eCAM Advance Access published on April 17, 2009, DOI 10.1093/ecam/nep031.
3 Ravindranath MH, Saravanan TS, Monteclaro CC, Presser N, Ye X, Selvan SR, Brosman S.
Epicatechins Purified from Green Tea (Camellia sinensis) Differentially Suppress Growth of Gender-Dependent Human Cancer Cell Lines: 2006 Jun;3(2):237-47. Epub 2006 Apr 25. |
