South American Medicinal Plant Compound Shows Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Activity
Damsin, a natural compound isolated from the South American medicinal plant Ambrosia arborescens, has been found to inhibit the growth of cancer stem cells, according to new research.
“Cancer stem cells can be considered as the most dangerous type of
cancer cells, as they appear to have an inherent resistance to the
chemotherapeutic drugs used today,” said Lund University Professor Stina Oredsson, corresponding author of the study, published in the journal PLoS ONE.
“Our results can contribute to the development of new drugs against cancer stem cells but, unfortunately, it takes a long time to get from basic research to usable drugs.”
Professor Oredsson and her colleagues from Lund University in Sweden and the University Major of San Andrés in Bolivia studied the effect of damsin and its synthetic derivative called ambrosin on cancer stem cells in three different breast cancer cell lines.
“Both damsin and ambrosin inhibit the growth and spread of cancer stem cells in breast cancer cell lines,” Professor Oredsson said.
“This is the first time that it has been successfully proven by research.”
Even at low concentrations, the two substances inhibit the division and mobility of the cancer cells. This means that the tumor becomes smaller as cell proliferation decreases.
“In the present study, we show that the actual number of cancer stem cells decreases,” Professor Oredsson said.
“This is basic research and the results are based on lab experiments involving cell cultures.”
“However, the results are a breakthrough in cancer research as it may be the first step towards effective treatment of cancer stem cells, i.e. the cells believed to cause metastases.”
Source : W.S. Sotillo et al. 2017. Anti-cancer stem cell activity of a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Ambrosia arborescens and of a synthetic derivative. PLoS ONE 12 (9): e0184304; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184304
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| Ambrosia arborescens is a species of plant native to the Andes from Colombia south to Bolivia. Image credit: Dick Culbert / CC BY 2.0. |
“Our results can contribute to the development of new drugs against cancer stem cells but, unfortunately, it takes a long time to get from basic research to usable drugs.”
Professor Oredsson and her colleagues from Lund University in Sweden and the University Major of San Andrés in Bolivia studied the effect of damsin and its synthetic derivative called ambrosin on cancer stem cells in three different breast cancer cell lines.
“Both damsin and ambrosin inhibit the growth and spread of cancer stem cells in breast cancer cell lines,” Professor Oredsson said.
“This is the first time that it has been successfully proven by research.”
Even at low concentrations, the two substances inhibit the division and mobility of the cancer cells. This means that the tumor becomes smaller as cell proliferation decreases.
“In the present study, we show that the actual number of cancer stem cells decreases,” Professor Oredsson said.
“This is basic research and the results are based on lab experiments involving cell cultures.”
“However, the results are a breakthrough in cancer research as it may be the first step towards effective treatment of cancer stem cells, i.e. the cells believed to cause metastases.”
Source : W.S. Sotillo et al. 2017. Anti-cancer stem cell activity of a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Ambrosia arborescens and of a synthetic derivative. PLoS ONE 12 (9): e0184304; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184304
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