Phenozan, a Synthetic Phenolic Antioxidant, Inhibits the Development of Spontaneous Tumors in Rats and Mice.

Synthetic phenolic antioxidant ß-(4-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl) propionic acid, named phenozan, is a potential antiepileptic drug. In pre-clinical trials this substance did not manifest any toxicity, and also inhibited the development of some spontaneous tumors in animals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate inhibiting effect of phenozan on spontaneous carcinogenesis in rats and mice. In experiments with rats LIO and mice SHR of local breeding, with high spontaneous tumor incidence, phenozan was dissolved in sunflower oil and administered by gavage in therapeutic dose 5 mg/kg 3 times per week for 18 months. There were no any signs of toxicity and differences in weight of animals during the phenozan treatment compared with the control (sunflower oil). Phenozan significantly reduced the overall incidence and multiplicity of all tumors but only multiplicity of malignant tumors, compared with the control. Moreover a significant decrease of overall incidence and multiplicity was observed in pituitary and breast tumors in females and only overall multiplicity of tumors of pituitary and lymphoid tissue in males. In mice phenozan reduced overall incidence and multiplicity of lung tumors (in females) and also overall multiplicity of all tumors (in females) and only malignant tumors (in males). These findings allow us to classify phenozan as anticarcinogenic agent. Anticarcinogenic activity of phenozan is important because clinical study of this drug as the possible antiepileptic drug goes along and it is known that such drugs are designed for long-term use.

[Polysuccinimide exhibited antitumor activity in the experiment].

Antitumor activity of the novel for oncology compound, such as polysuccinimide, against some of experimental tumor models (Lewis lung carcinoma, Acatol adenocarcinoma, Ca-755 adenocarcinoma) has been established. This drug induced 60-80% tumor growth inhibition of these murine solid tumor strains. Polysuccinimide is also effective (60%) against development of metastatic process in lung (Lewis lung carcinoma). Polysuccinimide causes no changes in pH level in tumor tissue (P-388 leukemia, Acatol adenocarcinoma). This agent may be recommended for further profound preclinical study.

[Anti-nitrosative system as a factor of malignant tumor resistance to cytotoxic effect of nitrogen monooxide].

The inhibitory action of binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes with glutathione on the growth of implanted solid tumor in BDF1 mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma cells was found. The effect was induced by intraperitoneal injection of the binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes to mice at a dose of 200 µM/kg daily on days 1-5 and 7-11. At the binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes: free glutathione ratios of 1:1; and 1:10 in solutions, the inhibitory effect of the DNICs reached the level of 70% and 85%, respectively. When B-DNICs were not further infused, intensive tumor growth, a more rapid rate of tumor growth than control, was observed. The selective accumulation of DNICs as well as iron nitrosyl complexes of heme-containing proteins in tumors were detected by EPR method. The latter were found also in the tumors in control animals. Tumor growth delay in course of B-DNIC administration to the mice is supposed to be due to the elaboration of anti-nitrosative defense in tumor tissue in response to the action of NO released from B-DNIC.

[Anti-Tumour Activity of Dinitrosyl Iron Complex with Glutathione and S-Nitrosoglutathione Preparations: Comparative Studies].

The anti-tumor activity of the binuclear form of dinitrosyl iron complexes with glutathione against Lewis lung carcinoma, found earlier upon intraperitoneal administration of the complexes, was also observed when this preparation was injected subcutaneously. A 100 µM/kg subcutaneous dose of the complex being used daily (as calculated per one iron atom in binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes) for 10 or 15 days, inhibited the tumor growth by 43%. The effect was observed during the first two weeks after tumor transplantation. After that, the tumors began to grow at the rate equal to or even higher than that one for control animals. The mean survival time for treated mice exceeded the control values by 30%. Binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes administered intraperitoneally was also effective against Ca-755 adenocarcinoma. However, in this case the mean survival time for treated animals increased only by 7%. The anti-tumor activity of S-nitrosoglutathione against Lewis lung carcinoma growth inhibition by 70% and Ca-755 adenocarcinoma growth inhibition by 90% was also shown. However, unlike binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes the anti-tumor effect of S-nitrosoglutathione decreased when a daily dose of the compound increased (from 200 to 400 µM/kg) The initial anti-tumor effect of binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes and S-nitrosoglutathione is suggested to be due to NO released from both compounds. A subsequent suppression of the effect is determined by the development of anti-nitrosative and anti-oxidant defense systems in tumors.

[Alternative means of drug therapy for cancer: antineoplastons--antitumor properties and mechanisms of action].

This review presents data on the antitumor properties of antineoplastons--alternative means of treatment for cancer originally isolated from human blood and urine. It was assumed that antineoplastons (derivatives of peptides and amino acids) are natural regulators of cell differentiation. In experimental studies it was showed that synthetic antineoplastons (A10-3-phenyl-acetyl-amino-2,6-piperidinedione and AS2-1--a mixture of phenylacetic acid and phenylacetylglutamine) were able to prevent the introduction of glutamine into the cell, to block the action of Bcl-2, to activate p53 and p21, to inhibit histone deacetylase, to induce apoptosis. In experiments in vitro and in vivo in several studies it was registered antitumor activity, mainly on models of hepatocellular carcinoma and glioma. Clinical data are limited by reports of individual clinical cases or series of cases and the results of several clinical trials Phase I-II, indicating a possible antitumor activity.

[Polyacrylates of noble metals as potential antitumor drugs].

The antitumor activity of polyacrylates of the noble metals containing argentum (argacryl), aurum (auracryl) and platinum (platacryl) has been studied using experimental murine solid tumor models (Lewis lung carcinoma and Acatol adenocarcinoma). It has been found that polyacrylates of the noble metals are capable of inhibiting tumor development by 50-90% compared to control. Auracryl that inhibites the growth of Lewis lung carcinoma and Acatol adenocarcinoma by 80 and 90%, respectively, compared to control is the most efficient among the tested compounds and can be recommended for the further profound preclinical studies.

[Anti-tumour activity of dinitrosyl iron complexes with glutathione].

The anti-tumour dose-dependent effect of binuclear dinitrosyl iron complexes with glutathione as NO donors on solid tumour in the mouse Lewis lung carcinome was detected. The complexes being injected at the doses of 21, 42, 105 mg/kg daily during 10 days blocked completely the development of the tumour for the first week after tumour cell implantation into animals. After that, the part of tumour cells which remained in intact alive state began to grow at the rate equal to that for control animals. The effect was proposed to be caused via the formation of the anti-nitrosative defense system in the cells as a response to NO attack to cells. It was also hypothesized that this system can be inactivated by higher doses of dinitrosyl iron complexes. The data were obtained which were in line with the hypothesis.

[Means and methods of alternative therapy for cancer: acupuncture--the effects and mechanisms of action].

Among means of alternative and complementary therapy for cancer, acupuncture holds a special place. This is because, unlike the most other methods of alternative and complementary therapy for cancer, efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the symptomatic treatment for cancer patients is considered as proven. Not accidentally such leading cancer centers in the USA as the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, the M.D.Anderson Cancer Center in Houston integrated acupuncture in accepted in these centers treatment standards and are staffed by licensed professionals on acupuncture. Particular attention is drawn to the use of acupuncture in hospices. It is stressed that it is the most effective and safe in the performance by qualified licensed professionals

[Alternative means of drug therapy in cancer: letril].

Letril (amygdaline) is one of drugs of alternative therapy for cancer that is used over three decades and relates to cyanogenic glycosides received from kernels of various fruits (almonds, apricots, peaches, etc. The basis of suggestion of letril as antitumor agent is hypotheses about selective fermentative splitting of amygdaline in tumor cells with developing of cyanide that should cause to apoptosis as a result of aerobic glycolysis suppression. None of these assumptions found their experimental confirmation. In clinical trials there was established inefficiency of letril with a very high probability to develop severe cyanide intoxication. Despite obtained scientific data and absence of permission from the supervising institutions (FDA) letril is still advertised, produced and distributed as anti-tumor drug.

[Effectiveness of Leukostim, a Russian preparation of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in patients with malignant tumors].

Recombinant preparation of human G-CSF-Leukostim (Russia)--(filgrastim; analog of Neupogen)--was administered in 31 patients (breast cancer--28; ovarian carcinoma--3) to treat or prevent chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. The latter was aborted after 2-6 injections. Due to use of Leukostim, another course of chemotherapy (10 cycles) was successfully used in 5 breast cancer patients: no inhibition of hemopoiesis followed although the patients had suffered acute and persistent neutropenia from previous chemotherapy. No adverse side-effects of Leukostim administration were reported.

[Comparison of blood-serum p53 concentrations in patients with advanced breast tumors before and after chemotherapy].

Investigations of the role of p53 in tumorigenesis and growth, implementation of antitumor effect of cytostatics as well as emergence of tumor resistance have generally received great emphasis. Since most research was mostly concerned with use of tumor tissues, its dynamic aspects were ignored. Our study was concerned with p53 assay of blood serum from 10 patients with advanced breast tumors who underwent tests before and after a second cycle of chemotherapy. Due to immunoblotting technique, p53 was identified in all patients. Its concentration varied significantly and was twice as high in some as compared with the others. Prior to treatment, distinct differences were recorded in content as well as and in the nature of its age-dependent variation after chemotherapy. The highest levels were recorded in the age group over 60 yrs. In most patients (5 out of 6) under 55, post-treatment concentrations rose, on the average, by 13% while in all 4 cases of more than 60, they dropped by an average of 18%.

[Results of a phase I-II clinical trial of Emoxyl, a novel antineoplastic anthracycline]. / Rezul'taty I-II fazy klinicheskogo izucheniia novogo protivoopukholevogo preparata iz gruppy antratsiklinov émoksila.

Emoxyl (ruboxyl) is a product of chemical modification of daunorubicin mediated by a stable free radical. The drug was given to 63 patients with different malignancies stages I-II. Inhibition of hemopoiesis (leukopenia and thrombocytopenia) was identified as the dose-limiting toxicity level. Alopecia or cardiotoxicity were not reported. A daily single dose of 100 mg/m2, 5 days, repeated in cycles after 3 weeks, proved the safest and most effective. Out of 55 cases evaluated for immediate effect, complete remission (breast cancer, small-cell cancer of the lung, Kaposi's sarcoma)--3; partial remission (breast cancer--2; non-Hodgkin's lymphoma--1)--3, and stabilization--26.

Inhibition of tumor growth with ultralow doses of doxorubicin under experimental conditions.

Antitumor activity of ultralow doses of cytostatic doxorubicin was studied on BDF1 mice with Lewis lung carcinoma. The preparation was injected intraperitoneally in single doses of 10(-5), 10(-10), 10(-15), and 10(-20) M on the next day after tumor inoculation. The effect of ultralow doses was compared with that of a standard therapeutic dose of doxorubicin (8 mg/kg, 1.4 x 10(-3) M). Doxorubicin in ultralow doses produced an antitumor effect comparable with that induced by the preparation in standard doses. On day 12 after administration of doxorubicin in ultralow and standard doses, tumor size in mice did not exceed 20% of the control level.

[The sensitivity of experimental tumor systems to ultra low doses of doxorubicin]. / Chuvstvitel'nost' éksperimental'nykh opukholevykh modelei k sverkhmalym dozam doksorubitsina.

Biological effect of doxorubycin in standard (10(-3) mol/l) and ultra low doses (10(-5)-10(-20) mol/l) against some "signal" animal tumor systems--Lewis lung carcinoma, 755 adenocarcinoma, B-16 melanoma, Ehrlich carcinoma and L1210 leukemia was studied. The all models were very sensitive to the action of the drug in standard dose. Solid tumors' growth inhibition by 80-95% as well as increasing in life span of mice with L1210 leukemia by 86% in comparison with control and surviving of animals with Ehrlich carcinoma had been revealed. It had been shown that the drug in the area of ultra low doses occurred the following effects: inhibition of Lewis lung carcinoma growth by 80-95% compared to control after administration of the all tested ultra low doses; increasing of the life span of the animals with Ehrlich carcinoma and L1210 leukemia by 86-123% and 6-23%, correspondingly, upon the action of all tested ultra low doses; inhibition of B-16 melanoma growth by 50 and 70% after administration of the drug in doses 10(-20) mol/l and 10(-5) mol/l, correspondingly as well as deceleration of 755 carcinoma growth by 40% compared to control after action of the drug in the dose 10(-20) mol/l; stimulation of the B-16 melanoma growth by 20% relative to control after 10(-10) mol/l dose injection and enhancement of tumors sizes by 20-60% above control levels as a result of treatment of mice with 755 carcinoma by the drug in such ultra low doses as 10(-5) and 10(-15) mol/l. So, it was found that all tested tumor systems revealed certain sensitivity to the some ultra low doses of the drug. At the same time it was shown that doxorubycin in ultra low doses displayed alternative character of its biological effect, directivity of which varied according with the dose level and tumor strain.