CUDDALORE: India’s sarvaroga nivarini (panacea for all diseases) could well be a potential source of cure for the much-dreaded oral cancer.
Nimbolide, an active molecule derived from the leaves and flowers of neem trees, could possibly be used to treat oral cancer. The process was demonstrated by a team of researchers from the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Annamalai University. The study findings were published in Scientific Reports journal of the Nature Publication Group.
According to the university’s research team, oral cancer, which is estimated to have an annual estimated incidence of 3,00,000 newly diagnosed cases in the world, is the leading type of cancer in men and the fifth most common type of cancer among women in the country, accounting for 77,000 new cases and 52,000 deaths every year.
Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the survival rate of oral cancer patients is poor. Hence, there is a need to develop novel preventive and therapeutic options. Over the past two decades, the team led by Professor Siddavaram Nagini has established the anti-cancer properties of neem extracts and neem compounds, especially the Nimbolide.
The team has convincingly demonstrated the preventive and therapeutic potential of Nimbolide against oral cancer. They showed that Nimbolide prevented cancer development and progression by inducing death of cancer cells whilst simultaneously inhibiting their propensity for uncontrolled cell growth and spread to other tissues.
As per the team’s findings, Nimbolide activates a tumour suppressor protein called Reversion-inducing Cysteine-rich Protein with Kazal Motifs (RECK), found in all normal tissues but low or absent in malignant tumours. In normal cells, RECK maintains tissue architecture and prevents infiltration and spread of tumour cells to other organs. In cancer, an array of molecules inhibits the function of RECK. The therapeutic strategy of Nimbolide involves ‘inhibiting the inhibitors’ of tumour suppression. Nimbolide reverses ‘RECKlessness’, a hallmark of cancer.
KEY FACTS
Nimbolide is an active molecule derived from the leaves and flowers of neem trees
It can prevent cancer development and progression
At the same time, it inhibits the tendency of uncontrolled cell growth
Nimbolide activates a tumour suppressor protein called Reversion-inducing Cysteine-rich Protein with Kazal Motifs
The therapeutic strategy involves inhibiting the inhibitors of tumour suppression
Nimbolide reverses ‘RECKlessness’, a hallmark of cancer