Scots team harnesses vitamin E to battle cancer

Published on Saturday 12 December 2009 19:14

A TEAM of Scottish scientists has discovered a way of using the power of a natural vitamin extract to make tumours almost disappear in ten days.

Researchers at the University of Strathclyde mobilised an extract from Vitamin E – which has known anti-cancer properties – to attack cancerous cells, using a new delivery system.

In tests on skin cancer, they found that tumours started to shrink within 24 hours and almost vanished in ten days. They believe the tumours might have been completely destroyed if the tests had continued for longer.

When the tumours regrew, they did so at a far slower rate than previously. The researchers will now go on to test the extract on other types of cancer before beginning human trials.

Previous studies have found that the extract – tocotrienol, from palm oil, one of the developing world's most widely-grown products – has tumour-fighting properties.

The problem was gettingthe extract, which is injected, to tumours without damaging healthy tissue.

For the latest study, the Strathclyde team developed a formulation of tocotrienol that could be specifically delivered to tumours intravenously.

They did this by encapsulating it in a compound called transferrin, a protein which transports iron through the blood. The treatment was then tested on mice.

The formulation led to tumours starting to shrink within one day of treatment. The cancers had nearly disappeared within ten days – the length of time the researchers were allowed to carry out their experiments under strict trial rules.

Dr Christine Dufs, a lecturer at the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, said: "

We could see that it was very promising. Of course, this is just the first experiment done but it is very exciting."

The team, from Strathclyde, with the help of University of Glasgow scientists, hope there may be scope to improve the treatment further by using higher doses and extending the length of the treatment.

So far, no side effects had been reported. Dufs said:

"We demonstrated that the intravenous administration of tocotrienol, entrapped in a tumour-targeted delivery system, leads to a fast tumour regression without visible secondary effects on healthy tissues."

The research has been published in the Journal of Controlled Release. Other cancers now being targeted include ovarian and prostate, major killers of women and men respectively.

Cancer research charities gave the research a cautious welcome. Dr Jodie Moffat, Cancer Research UK's health information officer, said:

"It's important that, as well as being studied in the lab, new ways of preventing or treating cancer are tested in clinical trials, to make sure there aren't any unexpected or harmful effects. Previous studies have found that high doses of vitamin supplements can actually increase the risk of certain types of cancer, which highlights just how important testing with real people is."

Vitamin E performs several important roles in the human body. It retards cellular ageingand strengthens blood capillary walls.