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Ellagic acid, commonly found in various plant foods, can enhance cancer treatment by boosting the effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy while reducing their side effects.
2022 Phytomedicine Synergism of ellagic acid in combination with radiotherapy and chemotherapy for cancer treatment Xue P, Zhang G, Zhang J, Ren L
Review Article Chemotherapy Ellagic Acid Pomegranate
The presented review compiled in vitro and in vivo experimental evidence of the synergistic effect of Ellagic acid (EA) in cancer therapy from multiple databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The focus was on the use of EA in conjunction with conservative treatment methods such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The results suggest that EA, a polyphenolic compound found in various plant foods, has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of these treatment methods. It was found to improve treatment outcomes when combined with a low dosage of therapeutic drugs or optimized radiation levels. Additionally, EA appears to have a preventative effect against the adverse reactions normally associated with chemotherapy, possibly due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This makes it a promising candidate as a drug adjuvant in cancer treatment.
Pomegranate juice extract (PPJE) appears to reduce chemotherapy-induced skin side effects by inhibiting inflammation and promoting wound repair on the skin.
2021 Antioxidants Protective Effect of Pomegranate on Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Response Induced by 5-Fluorouracil in Human Keratinocytes Rapa SF, Magliocca G, Pepe G, Amodio G, Autore G, Campiglia P, et al.
Experimental Study Chemotherapy Oxidative Stress Pomegranate
In this study, the impact of pomegranate (L.) juice extract (PPJE) on skin cells treated with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), an antineoplastic agent, was evaluated. This involved assessing the extract's ability to inhibit the release of reactive oxygen species and enhance the cellular antioxidant response of the treated skin cells. Specific attention was given to observe the overexpression of cytoprotective enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 after the introduction of PPJE.
The results indicated that PPJE indeed blocked the formation of nitrotyrosine and reduced the release of cytokines, therefore indicating a dampened inflammatory response. Furthermore, it was revealed that the extract could inhibit the nuclear translocation of p65-NF-κB, a key regulator of inflammation. The study also pointed out that PPJE could curb apoptosis in cells treated with 5-FU, whilst fostering wound repair. The overall findings suggest that PPJE holds potential as a supplementary agent for managing oxidative and inflammatory issues associated with chemotherapy-induced skin side effects.
Compared with usual care, acupuncture resulted in significant improvement in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy symptoms.
2020 JAMA Oncology Effect of Acupuncture vs Sham Procedure on Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms A Randomized Clinical Trial Bao T, Patil S, Chen C, et al.
Randomised Controlled Trial Chemotherapy
We found therapeutic benefit of real acupuncture for neuropathic pain that is consistent with previous pilot acupuncture CIPN trials. Distinctively, our study is the first, to our knowledge, to incorporate a sham treatment and a nontreatment control to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for CIPN.
The addition of a sham acupuncture control in an acupuncture clinical trial is difficult owing to the challenge of incorporating a truly inert placebo. In addition, a sham control limits the ability of a small effect size to elucidate a true difference between real and sham acupuncture.
Not only did our study demonstrate the feasibility of conducting a sham-controlled acupuncture trial, it generated sufficient pilot data to inform a definitive sham-controlled efficacy trial. Our trial is limited by its small sample size, single center, and short-term follow-up.
Prunus mume fruit extracts display hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antibacterial effects, and show promise for treating cancer and alleviating chemotherapy side-effects.
2020 Journal of Ethnopharmacology Anticancer properties of Prunus mume extracts (Chinese plum, Japanese apricot) Bailly C
Review Article Antibacterial Anticancer Chemotherapy
The authors conducted an extensive database retrieval via SciFinder, PubMed, and various other resources using relevant keywords such as "Prunus mume", "Chinese plum", "Japanese apricot", and "cancer". They also consulted relevant textbooks, patents, reviews, and digital documents (in English). The purpose was to analyze the anticancer activities of the P. mume extracts and their potential use to prevent or treat cancers. They also aimed to review the use of the P. mume extracts to alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy, notably drug-induced gastrointestinal toxicities.
In addition to showing hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antibacterial effects, the P. mume extracts were found to exhibit anticancer properties. Specifically, the extracts inhibited proliferation and induced apoptotic death of multiple types of cancer cells from both solid and hematological tumors. Furthermore, the extracts were found useful in treating mucositis and other gastrointestinal damages induced by anticancer drugs. The scientists profiled key natural products found in the extracts including ursolic acid and oleanic acid. However, they call for more robust evidence of anticancer activity in humans.
Pomegranate juice increases the effectiveness of lung cancer treatment with the low dose chemotherapy drug Cisplatin, while simultaneously reducing its toxicity on normal cells.
2020 Medicines Pomegranate Juice Extract Decreases Cisplatin Toxicity on Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Nasser M, Damaj Z, Hijazi A, Merah O, Al-Khatib B, Hijazi N, et al.
Experimental Study Chemotherapy Lung Cancer Pomegranate
The study performed classical tests for initial phytochemical screening of the pomegranate extract, measuring both total phenolic and sugar contents. The antioxidant activity of the pomegranate juice was then evaluated using an accepted method for determining its ability to eliminate harmful oxidative molecules. The viability of lung cancer cells and normal blood cells, when treated with pomegranate and the Cisplatin, was gauged using a neutral red assay, a test that determines cell health by noting their capacity to incorporate neutral red dye.
In the discussion of results, the findings highlighted the high density of antioxidant compounds (such as flavonoids, alkaloids, etc) in the pomegranate juice. The juice had strong oxidative molecule scavenging activity, indicating potential as an antioxidant treatment. Most notably, the combination of pomegranate juice with a low dose of Cisplatin significantly reduced the viability of lung cancer cells while enhancing that of normal blood cells when compared to treatment with just Cisplatin or pomegranate juice.
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