Plant Extract Against Colon Cancer?

Anti-cancer benefits of a plant extract, mediated through inhibition of Wnt signaling. This may be useful for developing preventive or therapeutic approaches to colon cancer.  Abstract:

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the effect of the ethanol extract of Scutellaria barbata D. Don (EESB) on colorectal cancer (CRC) growth and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS:

In vivo experiment, CRC xenograft mouse model was constructed with injection of HT-29 cells. Following xenograft implantation, twenty mice were randomly divided into EESB-treated group (n=10) and control group (n=10) by a random number table, and were given with intra-gastric administration of 2 g/kg EESB or saline, 5 days a week for 16 days, respectively. At the end of experiment, tumors were removed and weighed by electronic scales. The proliferation biomarker Ki-67 of tumor was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. In vitro study, HT-29 cells were treated with 0, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 mg/mL EESB for 24 h. At the end of the treatment, the viability and survival of HT-29 cells were determined by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and colony formation assay, respectively. The mRNA expression of c-Myc, Survivin and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) both in tumor tissues of CRC xenograft mice and HT-29 cells. Protein expression of c-Myc, Survivin, APC, and β-catenin as well as β-catenin phosphorylation level were evaluated by IHC assay or Western blotting.

RESULTS:

EESB significantly reduced tumor weight in CRC xenografts mice, compared with the control group (P<0.05). IHC assay showed that EESB significantly inhibited protein expression of Ki-67 in tumor tissues (P<0.05). MTT assay showed that EESB significantly reduced HT-29 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). Colony formation assay showed that EESB dose-dependently decreased the survival of HT-29 cells (P<0.05). In addition, RT-PCR assay showed that EESB decreased the mRNA expression of c-Myc and Survivin and increased APC expression, both in tumor tissues of CRC xenograft mice and HT-29 cells (P<0.05). IHC assay or Western blotting showed that EESB decreased protein expression of β-catenin, c-Myc and Survivin, as well as increased APC expression and β-catenin phosphorylation in tumor tissues or HT-29 cells (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

EESB significantly reduced tumor growth in CRC xenografts mice, and inhibited the viability and survival of HT-29 cells. EESB could suppress the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which might be one of the mechanisms whereby Scutellaria barbata D. Don exerts its anticancer activity.

Embelin Against Cancer

The herbal factor embelin may have utility against colitis-induced cancer through suppression of macrophages

Macrophages are a major component of inflammatory and tumor microenvironment. We previously reported that embelin suppresses colitis-associated tumorigenesis. Here, the role of macrophage targeting in the anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties of embelin was investigated. By using colitis-associated cancer (CAC) model, we demonstrated that embelin significantly depleted colonmacrophages by blocking their recruitment. Moreover, embelin attenuated M2-like polarization of macrophages within the tumor microenvironment and eliminated their tumor-promoting functions during the development of CAC. Embelin potently inhibited NF-κB signaling in macrophages and decreased the production of key pro-inflammatory cytokines and tumorigenic factors involved in CAC, such as TNFα, IL-6 and COX-2. In addition, embelin directly reduced the polarization of M2 macrophages in vitro even in the presence of Th2 cytokines. These results suggested that targeting macrophages is, at least in part, responsible for the anti-tumor activity of embelin in CAC. Our observations strengthen the rationale for future validation of embelin in the prevention and treatment of CAC.

HERBS AND SPICES: PARSLEY

Parsley (flat leaf)
Petroselinum crispum
 


What’s in it
Parsley contains flavonoids and antioxidants, folic acid, and vitamins A, K, and C. In addition to fiber, parsley contains calcium and iron (here is the full nutrition information). Excessive consumption of parsley should be avoided by pregnant women.

 

Grow 
In zone 5, U.S., parsley grows as a biennial, it flowers in the second year, and this is when I collect its seeds. I prefer to grow the Italian (flat leaf) variety of parsley. According to this website, one can start the seeds 3 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost since parsley withstands cold weather, and it can take up to 3 weeks for the seeds to sprout. To grow parsley, choose a sunny place in your garden with rich soil.

Harvesting
For cooking, cut gently the individual parsley leaves on their stalks in the first year of the plant. Do not pull on the plant, since the root can re-grow new sprigs again and again. You can harvest the same plant during the entire summer and fall (parsley is the last plant to die in my garden in late fall). I use fresh parsley throughout the warm season. To store parsley for winter cooking, I wash the leaves, dry them for an hour and press tight in sandwich bags by expelling as much air as possible. The batches frozen at -20ºC last through the winter. When I cook with parsley, I take a bag from the freezer and until the herb is frozen, I crush it in the bag with my hands to skip the chopping.

Medicinal uses for parsley

• According to Web MD and phytotherapy books, parsley stimulates the appetite, improves digestion, reduces gas, increases urine production, reduces spasms, and increases menstrual flow! Both parsley leaf and root can be used in teas as a diuretic to reduce excessive water in the body (as in gout and rheumatism).

• Parsley is one of the herbs that fight anemia. One recipe I have tried for my own anemia was a daily dose of a cup of plain yogurt with chopped parsley and a bit of salt. Yogurt helps restore your healthy gut bacteria, and parsley’s vitamin C helps the absorption of iron.

• Parsley is also antibacterial and antifungal, may be this is why is effective is reducing bad breath (just chew on a few sprigs). 

• Apigenin, one of the compounds in parsley, has been researched as an anti-cancer substance.

• More healing properties of parsley are listed on this website.

For some of these medicinal applications, use an extract of ½ teaspoon of crushed seeds and 1 cup of water left for 8 hours at room temperature. This is the dose for one day. When using the root, use 4 teaspoons of thinly chopped root in a cup of boiling water, strain after 15 minutes. Fresh leaves are also used to prepare tea (one teaspoon of chopped leaves with one cup of water).

Cosmetics with parsley 

• Due to its high vitamin C contents, parsley may reduce dark eye circles. For this purpose, a few drops of juice are extracted from chopped parsley leaves, mixed with yogurt, and applied under the eyes.

• Due to its antibacterial properties, parsley is also used in recipes against acne.

Cooking with parsley 
Almost all soups and salads I prepare include parsley. For soups, add the chopped parsley right at the end of cooking, immediately after the heat is turned off. This will preserve the healthy compounds in parsley. 

Here is also a recipe for a  cheap and easy to prepare vegetarian dish:                                  

Green beans meal
Soften one chopped onion and a few chopped carrots in two tablespoons of olive oil. If the veggies start burning, add a bit of water (half a cup). Once the carrots and onion are soft, add two cans (14.5 oz) of green beans (without their liquid), and water the volume of the two cans. Add 2-3 chopped tomatoes (or a 14.5 oz can of chopped tomatoes), salt, paprika and hot red flakes to taste. Bring to boil, and then turn the heat down to simmer for five minutes. Just before turning off the heat, add chopped ½ bunch of dill and ½ bunch of parsley. In summer time, serve the dish cold with feta cheese sprinkled on top. The dish is also delicious when warm and served with a spoonful of plain yogurt on top. If the green beans are fresh, increase the cooking time. You can also use green peas instead of green beans.

Resources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsley

• http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2513/2

• http://www.everygreenherb.com/anemia.html

• http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-health-benefits-of-parsley

• http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-health-benefits-of-parsley/

• http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-792-parsley.aspx?activeingredientid=792&activeingredientname=parsley

• http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/ciencia_industryhealthiermedica141.htm

• http://www.almanac.com/plant/parsley