Chemists have created a synthetic way to produce potent compounds from guavas, which could lead to new treatments for liver cancer.
Naturally-occurring molecules in the fruit, native to Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America, have been shown to kill liver cancer cells. But extracting enough of the molecules to serve the entire population would be impossible.
Now, University of Delaware scientists have invented a method to produce these cancer-fighting compounds in a laboratory by using common chemicals.
Liver cancer afflicts an estimated 42,000 Americans every year and kills about 30,000 annually. Incidence rates for the disease have more than tripled since 1980, while the death rates have more than doubled during this time.
William Chain, associate professor in the university’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said: ‘The majority of clinically approved medicines are either made from a natural product or are based on one.
‘But there aren’t enough natural resources to make enough treatments. Now chemists will be able to take our manuscripts and basically follow our “recipe” and they can make it themselves.’
Many medicines, both over-the-counter and prescription, have been derived from natural sources. Bark of willow trees has been called nature’s aspirin. The antibiotic penicillin comes from a mold called Penicillium. And metformin, a common diabetes medication, was initially derived from the French Lilac plant.
The most recent findings provide scientists worldwide with an easy-to-produce and inexpensive method for creating large quantities of the guava’s naturally occurring cancer-fighting molecules in the laboratory. It also opens the door to more effective and accessible liver cancer treatments.
Using common chemicals, scientists can now produce potent cancer-fighting molecules originally found in guava plants
Liver cancer deaths among women plummeted through much of the 20th century, but have steadily ticked up to 5.3 deaths per 100,000 cases.
In men, deaths have remained high since then, reaching 10.1 deaths per 100,000 people with the cancer.
The naturally occurring molecule that the University of Delaware chemists synthesized is called (-)-psiguadial A, which has demonstrated a potent ability to stop the growth and division of liver cancer cells.
Scientists, led by Dr Chain, started by building a key – and complex – component of the cancer-fighting molecule found in the guava plant.
Creating the correct 3D shape of the component was crucial because the molecule only works if its shape is perfect.
Once created, they attached it to another key part of the molecule. This was a major hurdle in the research because the specific spots they had to connect were buried and crowded by other atoms, making it difficult to form a new bond.
Finally, the researchers used a chemical to cause a reaction that made the molecule curl around and connect to itself, forming a special ring-shaped structure.
The ring is the unique, central part of the natural medicine that gives it its power to fight cancer.
A large number of our medicines, including everyday pills and powerful prescriptions, were first discovered in natural sources including fruits (stock)
Researchers said that while they have achieved a crucial first step by creating this molecule in the lab, this is just the beginning.
The exact mechanism that allows (-)-psiguadial A to kill cancer cells is still under investigation and the researchers still do not fully understand it.
Researchers used measurements of (-)-psiguadial A potency taken from experiments on human liver cancer cells grown in petri dishes. Previous studies on the compound have also used animal cells.
Extracts containing these compounds were tested in samples in lab petri dishes against a broad panel of nine other human cancer lines, including breast, lung, prostate, and ovarian cancers.
However, the compound itself has not yet been tested in human patients, though the successful synthesis is the first step.
While still years away from human use, their breakthrough paves the way for developing a potential new class of targeted therapies.
The ultimate goal is to create a treatment that is more precise and has fewer harsh side effects than traditional chemotherapy.
Liam O’Grady, doctoral student in Chain’s lab and the article’s first author, said: ‘We are the first ones to pave that road, and other people can repave it any which way. Find the shortcuts if they have to.
The above graph shows cases of liver cancer in women are rising, driven by a rise in obesity, diabetes, and fatty liver disease, as well as ongoing issues with alcohol and Hepatitis C
Liver cancer cases in men are falling, which could be linked to overall lower smoking rates and widespread hepatitis B vaccinations
‘But since we entered into that unknown territory, I think we helped shed light on this unknown pathway that can get us there. And I think that’s the cool part.’
They now need experts from various fields to help them study, improve, and ultimately determine if it can become a viable medicine for patients.
Previous research has zeroed in on the anti-cancer benefits of the guava plant.
In 2023, an international cadre of researchers reported that a concentrated extract made from guava leaves dramatically slowed down the unchecked growth of liver cancer cells.
The higher the dose they used, the more cancer cells died.
At the most potent dose, it stopped over two-thirds of the cancer cells from growing.
Instead of just poisoning the cells, the extract triggered the cells’ built-in self-destruct program, a process called apoptosis.
It caused a dangerous build-up of toxic waste and shut down the cells’ power supply, leading to their collapse.
Liver cancer is a fast-growing cancer with few highly effective treatment options, which place a multi-billion-dollar financial strain on the US healthcare system.
In addition, the prognosis for advanced liver cancer is dire, with fewer than 15 out of every 100 patients surviving past five years.
The research team has partnered with the National Cancer Institute to test the guava-derived molecule against other types of cancer and to develop it further into a potential treatment.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .