Effect of a plant-originated natural compound, CoD™ extract, on c-myc, Ha-ras and p53 gene expression in short-term animal experiments

Several plant-originated natural compounds were shown to exhibit chemopreventive effect in carcinogenesis. In our studies, we have investigated CoD™ extract, a complex plant extract made from several tropical plants with possible cancer preventive effect in animal experiments. c-myc, p53 and Ha-ras gene expressions were investigated 24, 48 and 72 h after CoD™ extract and dimethylbenz(a)-anthracene (DMBA) treatment in CBA/Ca(H-2K) mice. CoD™ extract administered together with DMBA diminished c-myc, p53 and Ha-ras gene expressions both in the 24 and 48 h experiments, but not in the 72 h experiments. Further in vivo and human studies are needed to clarify the possible role of CoD™ extract in the prevention of tumour formation after carcinogenic exposures

The possible role of natural products in the dietotherapy of cancer-related weight loss: An animal model

Despite many different trials, no effective dietotherapy exists for curing enormous weight loss caused by malignant diseases yet. The present study was aimed at determining in an animal model, weather some natural products might be included in the dietotherapy of cancerous patients with cachexia. Tumour was transplanted into Fischer 344 rats drinking either seabuckthorn extract, green tea, deuterium depleted water, trace elements preparation, fruits’ extract or multivitamin solution. Weight loss, tumour growth and expression of Ha-ras gene were determined. All the investigated natural products have significantly decreased tumour growth, and trace elements preparation has significantly decreased weight loss. Green tea, seabuckthorn extract and deuterium depleted water have notably diminished Ha-ras gene expression. Our results suggest that these natural products may be useful in inhibiting tumour growth, and some of them may be applied in the dietotherapy of cancer-related weight loss