Assistant of anticancer drugs

According to a study recently published in Cancer Research, researchers at Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU - USA), active ingredient verticillin A is able to enhance the effectiveness of some anti-cancer therapies.

Scientists from Georgia Health Sciences University have opened a new line of research for cancer treatment.

Verticillin A is extracted from a poisonous mushroom that grows abundantly in forests in southwestern China and was first discovered at Zhejiang University's Research Center. According to Dr. Kebin Liu, lead researcher of GHSU, verticillin A can prevent cancer cells from fighting specific treatments like cytokine Trail (proteins that stimulate immunity and make cancer cells self destruction).

Currently, drug resistance is a major cause of the treatment of metastatic cancer patients. Dr. Liu commented: 'If you make drugs that are more effective, it will help maintain your patients' health longer.' According to Wendy Bollag cell anatomy specialist, over time, most cancer cells will find ways to counteract the drugs.

Verticillin A prevents cancer cells from disabling the function of the BNIP3 gene (activating the tumor self-destructive process). Experiments on mice showed that verticillin A was also able to directly damage cancer cells. But due to the high toxicity, this active ingredient will cause a strong side effect. However, when used in small doses and applied in parallel with cytokine Trail, side effects are significantly limited while the therapeutic effect is high. Verticillin A also works similarly when used with some other anti-cancer therapies. Researchers are increasing testing of this substance in many forms of cancer in the hope that it will be possible in the future for clinical treatment.