Anticancer Effects of Simarouba Glauca Extract in Combination with Chemotherapy
Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Research Presentation
Challenges Theme
Open Challenge
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Faculty Sponsor
Dr Siyaram Pandey
Proposal
In 2019, over 26 000 Canadian women were diagnosed with breast cancer. Although conventional chemotherapies are effective, their mechanism of action is not specific to cancerous cells. Classic chemotherapeutics, such as taxol and cisplatin, have shown to target healthy cells, therefore they are not optimal for long-term usage. Natural health products (NHPs) are non-toxic, safe for consumption and are effective for a variety of different purposes, notably for their anti-cancer effects. Simarouba Glauca (SG), more commonly known as Paradise-Tree, is an NHP with a long history in herbal medicine in many countries. Previous studies suggest SG is effective against various cancers. We have studied whether SG can selectively induce cell death in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines, as well as its ability to be used in conjunction with common chemotherapeutics. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, we have demonstrated that SG exhibits selective anti-cancer activity. Combining plant-based extracts with established chemotherapeutics may not only provide more effective treatment but will also reduce the toxicity associated with the latter. We found that SG succeeded in enhancing the anticancer effectiveness of taxol and cisplatin. This work further evaluated the mechanism by which SG induces cell death in breast-cancers. The research is currently being extended to in-vivo trials, where the effects of SG are investigated on genetically modified mouse models. The findings provided have offered scientific validation in support of safe NHPs as well-tolerated and effective forms of cancer treatment.
Anticancer Effects of Simarouba Glauca Extract in Combination with Chemotherapy
In 2019, over 26 000 Canadian women were diagnosed with breast cancer. Although conventional chemotherapies are effective, their mechanism of action is not specific to cancerous cells. Classic chemotherapeutics, such as taxol and cisplatin, have shown to target healthy cells, therefore they are not optimal for long-term usage. Natural health products (NHPs) are non-toxic, safe for consumption and are effective for a variety of different purposes, notably for their anti-cancer effects. Simarouba Glauca (SG), more commonly known as Paradise-Tree, is an NHP with a long history in herbal medicine in many countries. Previous studies suggest SG is effective against various cancers. We have studied whether SG can selectively induce cell death in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines, as well as its ability to be used in conjunction with common chemotherapeutics. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, we have demonstrated that SG exhibits selective anti-cancer activity. Combining plant-based extracts with established chemotherapeutics may not only provide more effective treatment but will also reduce the toxicity associated with the latter. We found that SG succeeded in enhancing the anticancer effectiveness of taxol and cisplatin. This work further evaluated the mechanism by which SG induces cell death in breast-cancers. The research is currently being extended to in-vivo trials, where the effects of SG are investigated on genetically modified mouse models. The findings provided have offered scientific validation in support of safe NHPs as well-tolerated and effective forms of cancer treatment.