Science has found enormous value in plant research. Investigation into the use of plants by indigenous peoples, as well as how the plants protect themselves has yielded amazing breakthroughs in drug research, helping to find cures for many modern ailments from aches and pains to cancer. Aspirin, one of the most widely used over the counter medications was created from salicylic acid from the bark of a Willow tree.
Because so much success was found in plant research, scientists are now looking into animal proteins for possible cures for cancer. Most of the proteins that are undergoing testing now are chemicals released by bugs, animals, etc that offer protection in a hostile environment. Scientists are hoping that these proteins can offer protection for healthy cells in the human body, while attacking the harmful ones.
A study released in the Journal of Clinical Oncology this month found evidence that a protein isolated from the poisonous venom of a scorpion may help attack a very lethal form of brain cancer. The lead researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center express hope that research in this area may expose great benefits in the world of cancer treatments.
A total of 18 patients with malignant gliomas were enrolled in the study. After surgery to remove most of the tumor they were injected with a radioactive dye and the isolated scorpion venom protein. Then scans of their brain were taken to see where the protein attached itself, and to which cells (healthy or cancerous).
They saw that the protein attached mainly to cancer cells in the brain and very little attachment to healthy brain cells occured. They saw this as hopeful because the radioactive substance could help attack the cancer cells, and also the protein treatment could be combined with chemotherapy for greater success.
The authors were also very optimistic because 2 of the patients were still alive more than 3 years after treatment. The particular type of brain cancer they were treated for is very lethal, with the average life expectancy only months.
This study is the first of many to be released. More work is being done in this area, including studies on venom from snakes and other amphibians. Because plants have yeilded so much success in the area of medical research, many are very optimisitic that animals will do the same if not better.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on August 3, 2006 02:38 PM
