Can Ginseng Tea Inhibit Colon Cancer?
What a weighted question!
Perhaps it is my heritage and the way I was raised, but I am a firm believer that drinking tea (within reason, of course!) is healthy. Just do a quick PubMed search on "antioxidant tea", and you will get thousands of hits. I just did it today and received more than 4400--even if PubMed is "minimally staffed" due to the government shutdown/budget fiasco--don't get me started on that topic! I digress.... I drink tea on a daily basis even though I am not doing it with the intention of combating a particular ailment. I am also of the ilk that herbal supplement practitioners can take the practice too far.
So, back to the initial question...can ginseng tea inhibit colon cancer?
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| P. quinquefolius |
In an article published on PLOS ONE on 9 October 2013, Poudyal et al. at the University of South Carolina (along with collaborators at a number of other institutions) probe the possible role of American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) or AG in regulating colon cancer cell metastasis. The authors wanted to look at how AG could achieve this.
First, the authors did a hexane extraction of the AG, which is akin to the extraction/separation experiments we have performed in Organic Chemistry. They denoted this extract with the (perhaps poorly named) HAG moniker. This HAG has potent anti-inflammatory properties. A microarray analysis shows that one particular microRNA, miR-29b.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-encoding (i.e. they are not used as transcripts in translation to synthesize proteins) RNAs. They are one of the classes of RNAs that we are studying in Biochem I this semester. These miRNAs are often involved in gene regulation. An example of an miRNA is shown in the accompanying figure. Please note that the figure below is not miR-29b.
miR-29b is known to regulate an enzyme called matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). Proteinases are enzymes that proteolyze (i.e. "chew up" or hydrolyze) proteins. MMPs are enzymes involved in a host of processes, including tissue remodeling and metastasis. They usually hydrolyze proteins of the extracellular matrix. The authors hypothesize that miR-29b works by regulating MMP-2, which then prohibits the migration of the cancer cell, resulting in the inhibition of metastasis. It would be very interesting to see how this can be manipulated for therapeutic purposes. The link to the original article can be found below.
A Key Role of microRNA-29b for the Suppression of Colon Cancer Cell Migration by American Ginseng
First, the authors did a hexane extraction of the AG, which is akin to the extraction/separation experiments we have performed in Organic Chemistry. They denoted this extract with the (perhaps poorly named) HAG moniker. This HAG has potent anti-inflammatory properties. A microarray analysis shows that one particular microRNA, miR-29b.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-encoding (i.e. they are not used as transcripts in translation to synthesize proteins) RNAs. They are one of the classes of RNAs that we are studying in Biochem I this semester. These miRNAs are often involved in gene regulation. An example of an miRNA is shown in the accompanying figure. Please note that the figure below is not miR-29b.
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| miRNA (Figure adapted from Ahmed et al. BMC Bioinformatics 2009 10:105) |
A Key Role of microRNA-29b for the Suppression of Colon Cancer Cell Migration by American Ginseng
This article was so incredible to read. I worked this past summer as a surgical oncology intern and I had extensive exposure to various cancers as well as the various stages of cancer. From diagnosing some to treatment options and surgical removal. Science is an incredible tool to discovering new ways to cure these cancers. Knowing that colon cancer is third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both males and females, it is incredibly exciting to learn that there is a way to help these people. Although it may not be a complete cure, HAG does suppress the migration of colon cancer which is amazing in containing the disease and preventing it from further metastasizing. This will really extend the prognosis of an individual diagnosed with colon cancer since colon cancer is often not detected until it is metastatic. What was even more incredible is that HAG is also found to have impact on there cancers such as breast cancer.
ReplyDeleteI hope your surgical oncology internship went well this past summer. I love hearing how students go and do internships and research projects.
DeleteIt went really well. It was an incredible experience. I learned so much and was able to really apply what I have been taught in my studies thus far. It was an amazing learning experience.
DeleteIt is really awesome to see the methods we have used in class at work in the “real world”. It is also really incredible to read that something so simple as this could potentially combat/prevent colon cancer. It makes me wonder if the solution to other cancers could be found by much simpler means and methods. I have always really appreciated Doctors of Osteopathic medicine because they tend to think like this. Many of them have the capacity to look toward solutions that are simpler and unique, which is similar to what the facilitators of this study are showing. The answer isn’t always to do a surgery or attempt a procedure, but it could be as simple as drinking a cup of tea every night. Although I am sure that is a massive oversimplification, it really causes me to think about all of the amazing possibilities in medicine that are right under our noses and ready to be discovered.
ReplyDeleteThe doctor my family used when I was growing up was a D.O. I've also been taught since a young age about the virtues of certain natural treatments or remedies.
DeleteIt is pretty amazing that the root of a plant contains a compound that can stop cancer cells from spreading. The amazing properties of American ginseng do not stop there. American ginseng is useful in treating other diseases. Ginseng has been used to decrease blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients. Ginseng may also help preventing or reducing the duration of the cold and flu by boosting the immune system. Unfortunately, processed American ginseng can be harmful to breast cancer patients. I did not know that there were so many benefits to eating American ginseng. Also, I found it sad how easily people can take something that is beneficial and create something detrimental through industrial processing. I wonder how many other plants have beneficial properties. Also, how many plants have had their beneficial properties diminished or lost through industrial processing. This article shows that more research needs to be conducted on the effectiveness of holistic medicine. I believe this article also shows that doctors and scientists in general should be less skeptical of the ideas and methods of holistic medicine. I used the article below for additional information about American ginseng.
ReplyDeletehttp://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/american-ginseng
This article is reminiscent of one we discussed in Chemistry of Cancer last semester regarding curcumin and its effect on DNA methylation in colon cancer cells. Although the mechanisms of inhibition are different, (Curcumin inhibits at the DNA level, while HAG is employed at the RNA level) they both stem from the application of natural substances that are already used in the food industry.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that so many PubMed results came up. I can't imagine pharmaceutical companies are thrilled about the idea of someone drinking tea as opposed to being pumped full of their drugs. If pharmaceutical companies aren't providing the money, I would not have expected this to be a popular area of research.
It's nice to see that a natural "habit" of mine can actually be beneficial in the long run. Mostly, I am amazed at how crafty God is. When we look at all the sickness and disease in this world, it comes from the way we live our lives in this world that has separated itself from God and the natural world He has given us. It doesn't surprise me that a plant, seeded by the Creator, is beneficial to the human body. He designed this world to fulfill our needs, yet we continue to take it for granted. Unfortunately, people take was is good and manipulate it for personal gain, which ultimately leads to sin. So many products that were once good, such as herbal teas and vitamins, have been manufactured in so many man made ways that they have been altered from their former purpose. If people would get off the hype and stop feeding into all of the "fake" stuff with open ended promise and just lived healthy lifestyles (the way it was intended), there would be less disease. I applaud your choice in cuisine. Along with tea, natural products are what our bodies were made to eat. If we threw out all of the junk and enjoyed the "earth", the health of this country would increase. Go Tea!
ReplyDeleteIt’s incredible that plants contain compounds so vital to health and wellbeing. I’m a strong proponent of using natural remedies to prevent and treat illness (although mainstream pharmaceutical drugs are a better option in some cases). It’s amazing that a plant-infused drink can have so many health benefits. HAG’s regulatory activity at the transcriptional level is especially interesting. In my opinion, scientific research must explore chemical compounds obtained directly from plant and animal sources in greater detail. Rather than being used merely as lead compounds for production of analogous drugs, natural substances must be used ad fontes, as they are found in nature. My suspicion is that many natural compounds will prove much more effective than most pharmaceutical products designed to treat the same symptoms. It will be interesting to see how “holistic” and “allopathic” medicine will cooperate in the years to come.
ReplyDeleteI love when we are able to use natural remedies like tea to fight of sickness because I am not big into always taking medication to solve problems. I believe our bodies were made in a specific way to cope with a disruption, however in some cases, medication would be necessary. Again though, medications do include many, many different components that may not react in the best way for our bodies. Just like processed food though, tea has been altered from its' natural ways, causing a disruption in the natural way our bodies function with it. In turn, this can cause numerous effects on our bodies as shown through this article. Furthermore, I believe the concoctions need to be thoroughly studied to learn each specific component, and how it will affect our bodies.
ReplyDeleteMy mom is a huge advocate of using natural means as preventative medicine. A great example is tea. While I knew that tea has antioxidant properties, I was unaware that tea had potential applications such as inhibiting colon cancer. Truly amazing. Growing up in India, I used to drink tea all the time, and while in college, I've always preferred tea over coffee - a great source of energy without the bad side effects of coffee. Hopefully new applications from tea are discovered in the future, and this research can eventually yield some therapeutic medicine.
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at the innovations scientists discover, always thinking ahead and taking the extra step. I am even more amazed at the way current knowledge of how organisms, proteins, enzymes, etc., are manipulated to counteract something detrimental – such as the development of using viruses to treat diseases. It reflects the creative characteristic of God in us.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the ginseng tea’s miRNA of interest did not cure the cancer, per say, it definitely proposes a step toward a potential cure. It would be interesting to test if some other common teas consumed by the general population leads to similar results, or to aiding the reduction of other types of cancer.
In China, the Ginseng root is used as a traditional medicine. It is given to improve memory, reduce menopausal symptoms and fatigue, and also as a muscle relaxant. When i think about the fact that God made a world where all these simple things could be used for much bigger and meaningful things, I can't help but marvel at his infinite wisdom. I mean seriously a fleshy root growing in someone's backyard could have inhibitory effects on something that is ravaging people all across the world? If God could give a plant that much potential, how much more has he put in you and me who he created in his own image.
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