Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Nov 12, 2024 1 week, 3 days, 5 hours, 20 minutes ago
Herbs and Phytochemicals: Pomolic acid, a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound, has gained attention for its powerful anticancer properties. Originally isolated from plants such as Sanguisorba officinalis, pomolic acid has shown effectiveness against various types of cancer cells, including those from breast, lung, and prostate cancers. Researchers from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-Brazil have been at the forefront of studying pomolic acid's effects. This
Herbs And Phytochemicals news report explores the potential of this compound in combating cancer while detailing the challenges associated with its extraction and availability.
Brazilian Researchers Expound on Pomolic Acid's Cancer-Fighting Potential
Image: Sanguisorba officinalis Plant
How Pomolic Acid Induces Cancer Cell Death
Pomolic acid's ability to combat cancer comes from its capacity to induce apoptosis or programmed cell death in cancer cells. Studies have shown that pomolic acid can disrupt mitochondrial function, leading to the release of cytochrome c and activation of caspases, enzymes essential for cell death. This process involves specific pathways, notably the mitochondrial pathway, which triggers DNA fragmentation and cell death. Furthermore, research suggests that pomolic acid may also act on the extrinsic pathway, involving cell membrane receptors, thus broadening its anticancer activity across different cellular mechanisms.
Targeting Drug-Resistant Tumors
One of the significant challenges in treating cancer is the issue of drug resistance, where cancer cells evolve to withstand chemotherapy drugs. Pomolic acid has shown promising results in overcoming this resistance. Studies indicate that it affects proteins that tumors use to resist drugs, including the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family, such as P-glycoprotein and MRP-1. By reducing the effectiveness of these proteins, pomolic acid allows drugs to stay in cells longer, thus enhancing their cancer-fighting ability. This effect is crucial as it provides a potential solution for tumors that have developed resistance to standard chemotherapy drugs.
Inhibiting Tumor Growth and Progression
In addition to triggering cell death, pomolic acid has shown potential in slowing tumor growth and progression. Cancer cells often exploit specific pathways to grow and spread, such as the RAF-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway, which promotes cell survival and proliferation. By interfering with these pathways, pomolic acid can help prevent the spread and growth of cancer cells. Additionally, the compound affects another protein, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1), which promotes angiogenesis - a process crucial for tumor growth by enabling blood vessel formation. By inhibiting HIF1, pomolic acid may reduce blood supply to tumors, slowing their growth.
Reducing Metastasis with Pomolic Acid
Metastasis, or the spread of cancer to different parts of the body, is a critical concern in cancer treatment. Pomolic acid exhibits potential in preventing thi
s spread by targeting cellular changes that lead to metastasis. It affects focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a protein involved in cell movement, thereby reducing the cancer cells' ability to migrate. Furthermore, by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), an enzyme that aids in breaking down tissues for tumor invasion, pomolic acid impedes cancer cells' ability to spread to other parts of the body. This dual action of promoting cell death and limiting spread makes pomolic acid a promising candidate in cancer therapy.
Extraction Challenges and Limitations of Pomolic Acid
Despite its promise, pomolic acid faces significant challenges regarding its availability. The compound is generally extracted from plant sources, which yields limited quantities, making it difficult to produce enough for large-scale clinical research. For example, Euscaphis japonica offers around 1 mg of pomolic acid per gram of plant material, which is a low yield when considering the quantities required for testing. Researchers have been exploring alternative methods to improve yields, including semi-synthesis from similar compounds like tormentic acid, but these methods also have limitations. Without advancements in extraction technology or synthesis methods, pomolic acid's potential may remain unfulfilled due to supply constraints.
Pomolic Acid in In Vivo Studies and Toxicity
The journey of pomolic acid from lab research to clinical use is ongoing, and in vivo studies on animals have provided some insights into its effects beyond cancer treatment. Research on mice and rats has indicated that pomolic acid may possess additional health benefits, such as cardioprotective effects and potential applications in treating renal fibrosis. However, more research is needed to understand the possible side effects fully and to ensure the compound's safety in humans.
Conclusion: A Potential Game-Changer with Hurdles to Overcome
In conclusion, pomolic acid represents a promising option in the ongoing fight against cancer, particularly for its multifaceted ability to induce apoptosis, combat drug resistance, and inhibit tumor growth and metastasis. However, the challenge of limited availability due to low extraction yields and dependency on plant sources hampers further research and potential clinical applications. Research into alternative extraction methods and synthesis pathways is critical to advancing pomolic acid's journey from the laboratory to cancer patients. For now, the scientific community awaits further breakthroughs that may finally unlock the full potential of pomolic acid.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Drugs and Drug Candidates.
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-2998/3/4/41
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