Cancer has been known as a difficult disease
to treat and require time and cost is not
small. But now have anti-cancer compounds
found in honey
bee hives that can inhibit cancer cell growth.
Scientists from the University of Chicago Medical
Center have found that there are efficacious compounds in honey
bee hives are effective
against prostate cancer in mice. Honey bees
use propels to
patch the holes in the nest. Propels is a
resin mixture obtained
by bees from trees and plants.
Propels has been used
for centuries as a
natural remedy for various
diseases, ranging from allergies
and sore throats to
burns. Where scientists
recently also showed
propels is effective against anti-cancer
activity.
The researchers then conducted a study
of a single compound of propels called caffeic
acid phenethyl ester
(CAPE). Researchers found that only a small amount of CAPE is able to slow the growth of tumor cells.
Then the researchers tested a low dose of CAPE is
administered orally in mice that have
human prostate tumor
grafts. The result of tumor growth was slowed
by about 50 percent,
as reported by theatlantic, Tuesday (10/07/2012).
When the mice were given daily intake of CAPE,
the tumor stopped growing. Conversely when the mouse
is no longer given CAPE intake, the tumor
began to grow again.
This suggests that the CAPE works by stopping
the growth of tumor cells, not by killing
the tumor.
The researchers also found that certain nutrients
are affected CAPE also affects the activity of the protein. When
nutrient intake is low, cells stop dividing.
The presence of CAPE may limit the production
of proteins that tell cells with
sufficient nutrients to begin
dividing. This suggests that Cape May be useful as an adjunct treatment with chemotherapy to
kill tumor cells.