Croton Oil Fights Prostate Cancer

PISCATAWAY, N.J.--An active ingredient found in the oil of the
Southeast Asian croton plant--12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate,
commonly known as TPA--may inhibit the growth of new prostate cancer
cells, according to researchers at Rutgers University.

"We demonstrated TPA could simultaneously stop the growth of new
prostate cancer cells, kill existing cancer cells and ultimately
shrink prostate tumors," said Allan Conney, Ph.D., one of the study's
authors. The researchers also tested the effect of TPA in combination
with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a vitamin A derivative that has
been shown to effectively treat leukemia.

Mice with induced prostate tumors received a daily dose of TPA, ATRA
or a combination of the two for 46 days. After 21 days of treatment,
tumor regression became apparent in 62 percent of mice treated with
TPA, compared to 31 percent of mice treated with ATRA. All mice
receiving the combination treatment showed signs of tumor regression.
Researchers also found TPA and the combination treatment continued to
inhibit tumor growth for the duration of the study, compared to ATRA
inhibiting tumor growth only for the first 28 days of treatment.

"Our studies are an important early step in a long process, and we are
planning additional testing in humans," Conney said. "Further research
with these compounds and others could provide hope for the half
million new cases of prostate cancer each year."

The study is published in the March issue of Cancer Research (64,
5:1811-20, 2004) ( cancerres.aacrjournals.org).

"These abstracts provided courtesy of Natural Products Industry
Insider, published by Virgo Publishing Inc."

For more information visit: http://www.prostacet.com/?aid=627156