Quality of Life and Neutropenia in Patients with Early Stage Breast Cancer: A Randomized Pilot Study Comparing Additional Treatment with Mistletoe Extract to Chemotherapy Alone

Background: Chemotherapy for breast cancer often deteriorates quality of life, augments fatigue, and induces neutropenia. Mistletoe preparations are frequently used by cancer patients in Central Europe. Physicians have reported better quality of life in breast cancer patients additionally treated with mistletoe preparations during chemotherapy. Mistletoe preparations also have immunostimulant properties and might therefore have protective effects against chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.Patients and Methods: We conducted a prospective randomized open label pilot study with 95 patients randomized into three groups. Two groups received Iscador® M special (IMS) or a different mistletoe preparation, respectively, additionally to chemotherapy with six cycles of cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, and 5-fluoro-uracil (CAF). A control group received CAF with no additional therapy. Here we report the comparison IMS (n = 30) vs. control (n = 31). Quality of life including fatigue was assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30). Neutropenia was defined as neutrophil counts <1,000/µl and assessed at baseline and one day before each CAF cycle.Results: In the descriptive analysis all 15 scores of the EORTC-QLQ-C30 showed better quality of life in the IMS group compared to the control group. In 12 scores the differences were significant (p < 0.02) and nine scores showed a clinically relevant and significant difference of at least 5 points. Neutropenia occurred in 3/30 IMS patients and in 8/31 control patients (p = 0.182).Conclusions: This pilot study showed an improvement of quality of life by treating breast cancer patients with IMS additionally to CAF. CAF-induced neutropenia showed a trend to lower frequency in the IMS group

Synthesis and antimicrobial properties of Zn-mineralized alginate nanocomposites

New bioactive and antimicrobial biomaterials were produced by alginate-mediated biomineralization with Zn-mineral phase. The synthesis procedure is simple, cost-effective and resulted in. two different Zn-mineralized alginate nanocomposites, Zn-carbonate/Zn-alginate and Zn-phosphate/Zn-alginate. The presence of Zn-mineral phase and its type, have significantly affected nanocomposite morphology, stability, total metallic loading and potential to release Zn(II) in physiological environment. Antimicrobial experiments showed that both types of Zn-mineralized nanocomposites exhibit strong antimicrobial effect against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. These results suggest that alginate biomineralization, where minerals are salts of essential metallic ions like Zn(II), represents a'good strategy for designing multifunctional biomaterials for potential biomedical applications.This is the peer reviewed version of the paper: Malagurski, I., Levic, S., Pantic, M., Matijasevic, D., Mitric, M., Pavlovic, V., & Dimitrijevic-Brankovic, S. (2017). Synthesis and antimicrobial properties of Zn-mineralized alginate nanocomposites. Carbohydrate Polymers, 165, 313–321. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2017.02.064

Additional Therapy with a Mistletoe Product during Adjuvant Chemotherapy of Breast Cancer Patients Improves Quality of Life: An Open Randomized Clinical Pilot Trial

Background. Breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy often experience a loss of quality of life. Moreover chemotherapy may induce neutropenia. Patients report a better quality of life when additionally treated with mistletoe products during chemotherapy. Methods. In this prospective randomized open-label pilot study 95 patients were randomized into three groups. All patients were treated with an adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary objective of the study was quality of life, the secondary objective was neutropenia. Here we report the comparison of HxA (n = 34) versus untreated control (n = 31). Results. In the explorative analysis ten of 15 scores of the EORTC QLQ-C30 showed a better quality of life in the HxA group compared to the control group (P<0.001 to P=0.038 in Dunnett-T3 test). The difference was clinically relevant (difference of at least 5 points, range 5.4–12.2) in eight of the ten scores. Neutropenia occurred in 7/34 HxA patients and in 8/31 control patients (P = 0.628). Conclusions. This pilot study showed an improvement of quality of life by treating breast cancer patients with HxA additionally to CAF. Although the open design may be a limitation, the findings show the feasibility of a confirmatory study using the methods described here

An insight into chemical composition and bioactivity of 'Prokupac' red wine

Autochthonous variety 'Prokupac' (Vitis vinifera L.) red wines with the addition of selected aromatic herbs (Artemisia absinthium, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Glycyrrhiza glabra and Pimpinella anisum L.) were evaluated for chemical composition and biological activity. Furthermore, their polyphenolic profiles were determined by HPLC-DAD. While total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, along with antioxidant activity, were significantly higher in all examined wine samples, the content of total anthocyanins was decreased, compared to a pure 'Prokupac' wine, used as the control one. On the other hand, 'Prokupac' wines with the addition of cinnamon (S. zeylanicum) and wormwood (A. absinthium) displayed highest antioxidant (EC50, 0.021 +/- 0.001 mg/mL) and antibacterial (Enterococcus faecalis, MIC/MBC 15.63/62.50 mu L/mL) activities, respectively. The study showed that 'Prokupac' wine with the addition of cinnamon was significantly enriched both with TPC and TFC, compared to control wine (p lt 0.05), which may contribute to its market potential