Study Source: The Hindu Business Line / 2018
Indian scientists have found that fenbendazole, a broad-spectrum anti-parasitic drug used in veterinary sector, could be useful against cancers as well.
Researchers at the National Centre for Human Genome Studies and Research (NCHGSR), Panjab university, have reported that fenbendazole has a good potential for development as an effective anti-cancer agent. It is currently used as used to treat infections caused by parasitic worms in animals like horses. The study results have been published in journal Scientific Reports.
To check the effectiveness of fenbendazole, researchers first treated human ‘non-small cell lung cancer cells’ (type of lung cancer cells) with fenbendazolem and analysed cancer cells with immunofluorescence technique. They found that the drug causes partial alteration of microtubule network around the cell nucleus. Tumour cell lines also showed enhanced cell death-inducing activity in the presence of wild type (WT) p53 tumour suppressor genes.
Researchers tested fenbendazole in mice, feeding them the drug orally every second day for 12 days. After the end of 12 th day, tumours were excised, measured and weighed.
Researchers found reduction in tumour size and weight. Results suggested that fenbendazole inhibits tumour cell growth in vivo by inducing apoptosis of tumour cells.
ความคิดเห็น