Natural herbs kills pancreatic cancer cells

An herb used in traditional remedies by lots of Middle Eastern countries may aid in the fight against pancreatic cancer, one of the most difficult cancers to heal. Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer at Jefferson in Philadelphia say that thymoquinone, an extract of black seed (nigella sativa or habbatus sauda) oil, blocked pancreatic cancer cell development and stoped the cells growth by enhancing the process of programmed cell death.

While the scientific studies are in the initial development, the findings suggest that thymoquinone could eventually have some use as a preventative strategy in sufferers who have gone through surgery and chemotherapy or in individuals who are at a high risk of developing cancer.

The professor at Jefferson Medical College, Hwyda Arafat, M.D., Ph.D., said that black seed oil aids treat a broad array of medical conditions, including several immune and inflammatory disorders. Preceding studies additionally have shown that anti-cancer activity in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects as well as prostate and colon cancers.

Using a human pancreatic cancer cell line, the team found that adding thymoquinone killed just about 80 pct of the cancer cells. It showed that thymoquinone triggered programmed cell death in the cells, and that a number of important genes, as well as  bcl-2 and p21, p53, Bax, were affected.

The researchers revealed that expression a tumor suppressor gene, and a gene that promotes programmed cell death, was increased, while bcl-2, which  blocks such cell death, was decreased. The p21 gene, which is involved in the regulation of different phases of the cell phase, was substantially improved. She presents her findings Could eighteen  at the Digestive Disease Week in San Diego.

The researchers also found that it  caused “epigenetic” improvements in pancreatic cancer cells, modifying the cells’ DNA. They reported that these improvements include adding acetyl groups to the DNA structure, specifically to blocks of proteins (histone deacetylases). This “acetylation” development can be important for genes to be read and translated into proteins. In this case, it could implicate the genes that are vital to initiating programmed cell death.

“We studied the histones and found surprisingly that thymoquinone asisted the acetylation process,” She says. “We have never predicted that.”

At the same time, adding thymoquinone to pancreatic cancer cells reduced the production and activity of enzymes named as histone deacetylases (HDACs), which eliminate the acetyl groups from the histone proteins, halted the gene transcription process. She said that histone deacetylases inhibitors are a new class of drug treatments that interfere with the function of histone deacetylases, and is being tested as a treatment for neuro-degenerative diseases and cancer. Finding that thymoquinone functions as an histone deacetylases inhibitor. She proclaims, “it was very amazing and really exciting.”

Pancreatic cancer, the fourth-leading cause of cancer death in many country. The diseases frequently detected once it has stretch and only four percent of individuals with pancreatic cancer live for five years after diagnosis.