Cancer Medbot

Environmental causes of cancer

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1. UV Radiation
2. Air Pollution
3. Smoking - affect chromosome integrity

How many Cancers are caused by viruses

15%

Cancer and food

Affects well-being, overall health, ability to recover

Age and Genetic cancer factors

77% of all cancers occur above or around 55 yrs, and DNA damage over time leads to cancers

Breast Cancer Genes

-BRCA1 and BRCA 2 which are tumor suppressor genes, mutate to cause breast and ovarian cancer

Tobacco carcinogens

carcinogens are Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, or organic compounds containing only H and C, ex. benzene.

* small amounts in leaves, effect occurs over repeated exposure

Taxol in plant properties

* Extracted form bark
* Inhibits growth of parasitic fungi in soil
* used by tribes for things like pain and blood purifier, etc.

Taxol plant

* western/pacific yew
* flat needle like leaves
* cone with 1 black seed and red “aril”

Taxol use

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\- Stops malignant tumor growth \n - Helpful in advanced cases of ovarian & breast cancer \n - Used today in ever-evolving drug combinations

Taxol mechanism of action

1. inhibits tubulin (spindle) separation (binds to B-tubulin subunit of micotubules)
2. Microtubules do not disassemble after cell division
3. causes unequal cell divisions
4. no future cell division, apoptosis

Taxol problems

* large quantities of bark needed, 2g to treat patient
* 1g of taxol obtained from 3 trees
* slow growing tree
* rare in northwestern pacific
* Initially lab synthesis too complicated
* Solution: look for taxol in similar species

Mexican Yew

Produced 10x more taxol than pacific yew

English Yew

* needles contain abundant amounts of taxol precursor baccatin

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Baccatin modified to produce

* Taxotere/docetaxel
* Twice as effective in prevention breakdown of mitotic spindle
* Being tested on skin, bladder, lung, cervical, ovarian cancer

Enophytic fungi

* Also produce taxol, even after removal from host
* can be lab grown
* inexpensive and quick way to produce taxol

Taxol now

* Purely synthesized in lab
* All taxol produced in germany by Python Biotech via plant cell fermentation

Turmeric active compound

Curcumin

Curcumin properties

\-Antioxidant - Free radical scavenger \n Anti-amyloid - - May inhibit accumulation of amyloid in brains of

Alzheimer’s patients, break up existing plaques

Anti-inflammatory - - Inhibits enzymes involved in inflammation

Anti-tumor - - Many ongoing studies

Curcumin and antioxidant activity

1. inhibits oxidation of lipid membrane and DNA
2. Reduces DNA damage and oncogene formation

Curcumin and anti-angiogenesis

* prevention of new blood vessel growth
* Blocks enzymes that enable tumors to create own blood supply
* Iron, copper needed by these enzymes

Curcumin and oncogene expression

* interference with oncogene expression
* Blocks cytokines that activate transcription growth factors, which are overexpressed in cancer cells.
* Induces apoptosis in cancerous cells interruption at G2 stage

Curcumin problems

* low water solubility
* quickly metabolizes
* inefficiently absorbed
* degrades p53- which removes damaged cells likely to become tumors (may accelerate tumor development)

Mayapple plant

* toxic
* death in high consumption doses
* Leaves, roots and unripe fruit are toxic
* ripe fruit is edible

Mayapple compounds

* Etoposide
* Teniposide
* Podophyllotoxin

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Etoposide and Teniposide Mechanism of Action

* Act on DNA replication
* Cause DNA breakage and errors
* Reduce growth and expansion of cancers


* Prevents topoisomerase II from uncoiling DNA
* Results in DNA breakage and apoptosis

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Mayapple administration

* IV
* Injection
* Oral Tablet

Mayapple side effects

* Bone marrow suppression (decrease in WBC and RBC)
* Dizziness
* Nausea
* Bleeding (platelet suppression)
* Hair loss

Periwinkle

* Native to Madagascar
* Apocynaceae

Active compounds of Periwinkle

* Vincristine
* Vinblastine

Vinblastine and Vincristine

* 80% remission in Hodgkins
* 99% in acute lymphocytic leukemia

Vincristine and Vinblastine mode of action

* bind to tubulin dimers and disrupt microtubule structures
* cause microtubules to detach from spindles
* arrests mitosis in metaphase
* Affects all fast-dividing cells like bone marrow, and epithelial cells

Vincristine side effects

* Peripheral neuropathy
* hyponatremia
* constipation
* hair loss
* fetal harm if pregnant
* fertility impairment