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Lemongrass extract has potential as a supplement to chemotherapy, reducing colon cancer growth, enhancing treatment effectiveness, and mitigating side effects like weight loss.
The study utilized both human colorectal cancer models and APC transgenic mice to assess the effectiveness and potential preventive properties of lemongrass extract. The researchers initially tested the impact of the extract in vitro, observing its influence on cancer cells over time and in relation to does. Moreover, they analyzed the extract's effects when orally administered to mice with colon cancer xenografts. This was done to understand its effectiveness in handling colon cancer and potential negative impacts on healthy cells.
The latter part of the study focused on the interaction of lemongrass extract with two common chemotherapy treatments used for colon cancer, FOLFOX and Taxol. This was done not only to understand how the extract might influence the chemotherapy's results but also to assess if it could ameliorate any side effects of these potent treatments.
It was found that ethanolic lemongrass extract demonstrated a potent anticancer effect by inducing apoptosis (cell death) in colon cancer cells without negatively impacting the healthy cells. This effect was noticed to be both time and dose-dependent.
Moreover, when fed to mice with colon cancer xenografts, the extract not only inhibited cancer growth but was well tolerated by the animals. Significant implications were evidenced when the extract was given alongside FOLFOX. Not only did it enhance the effectiveness of this chemotherapy treatment, but it also actively countered weight loss, one of the common side effects.
Finally, the lemongrass extract effectively reduced intestinal tumors in APC transgenic mice, suggesting its potential role for preventative measures against colon cancer. Based on these results, the researchers concluded that lemongrass extract may be a promising supplemental treatment for colorectal cancer in the future.
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