Grapes, gold may help fight cancer
ISLAMABAD – Red grapes and gold may sound like an exotic pairing of the kind spas advertise, but the combination could just hold hope for cancer patients. A compound found in red grapes helps gold nano particles destroy tumour cells in the laboratory, say scientists at Chennai-based eye hospital Sankara Nethralaya.
In the last few decades, studies have shown that nanotechnology combined with chemotherapy reduces side-effects because it targets only cancer cells, not healthy tissues.
It was found that a naturally occurring compound could reduce side-effects. In 2012, a team of scientists from the University of Missouri, US, found that green tea and gold nanoparticles destroyed tumour cells in prostate cancer after reducing the dosage of chemotherapy medication.
The red grape (Vitis vinifera) compound used in the study has several medical uses. It is administered to patients with a range of symptoms such as nausea and diseases such as cholera and liver problems.
The team used an extract of red grapes and other chemical compounds to synthesise gold nanoparticles at a specific temperature in the lab, said Sushma Kalmodia, a researcher with department of nanotechnology, Sankara Nethralaya.
The gold nanoparticles were exposed to breast cancer cells in a petri dish and scientists saw them efficiently enter cancer cells.
“This combination will help us deliver targeted therapy. It can also be used in diagnosis and treatment of all cancers,” said associate professor Sailaja V Elchuri, the corresponding author of the study.
“We must ensure the safety and efficacy of this combination before we use it in patients. We have identified a path, but it takes a long time to establish a road. What we can say at present is there is a big hope,” Krishnakumar said.
Source: International News Newwork
Published: 25 Nov 2014
Category: Features, Wellness and Complementary Therapies
