MS14, an Iranian herbal-marine compound for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

MS14 is a natural herbal-marine drug, which has shown to slow down or halt the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). This drug consists of 90% Penaeus latisculatus, 5% Apium graveolens, and 5% Hypericum perforatum L. Preclinically, the effects of MS14 have mostly been examined in an animal model of multiple sclerosis called experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Clinical studies of the effects of MS14 in MS patients also showed that it could improve the patients' quality of life. MS14 is a safe drug in MS patients and might also be effective in the treatment of other neurodegenerative disorders with the same mechanisms.

Therapeutic effects of HESA-A in patients with end-stage metastatic cancers.

BACKGROUND: After cardiovascular disease, cancer is the most common cause of death. HESA-A is a natural product of herbal and marine origin. The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of HESA-A in patients with end-stage metastatic cancers. METHODS: In this clinical trial, 30 consecutive patients (18 men, 12 women) with end-stage cancers and liver metastasis at the Cancer Research Center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were studied. Patients received HESA-A 50 mg/kg/d orally in 2 to 3 divided doses for 3 months. At the start and end of the 1st, 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks of the study, the patients were assessed and hematological and hepatic biochemical indices were measured. Also, the Karnofsky Performance Scale questionnaire was completed for each patient. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 56.23 +/- 12.10 years. Mean Karnofsky Performance Scale scores of the patients increased from 48 +/- 14.36 to 78.42 +/- 15.37 after 12 weeks of treatment. A total of 90.4% of the patients who remained in the study were alive for 12 weeks. No significant hepatic or hematologic adverse effect was seen during the study. CONCLUSION: HESA-A appears to be an effective and safe anticancer compound that may increase survival of end-stage patients and can be used in selected cases. Further prospective controlled clinical trials with large sample size and longer follow-up period are warranted to understand the mechanisms of action of HESA-A and evaluate its long-term effects on the survival and quality of life of patients with cancer and as well as its unfavorable side effects.

The effect of MS14 on Th2 cytokines pattern in Balb/C mice.

The tendency of immune response toward either Th1 or Th2 cytokine pattern can cause a number of pathologic conditions. Multiple sclerosis is postulated to be a Th1-type cell-mediated autoimmune disease. MS14--an Iranian natural product--seems to possess anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, we studied the effect of orally administered MS14 on Th2 cytokines (IL-5 and IL-10) in normal Balb/C mice (100 mg/kg; 5 days). The result indicated that activated splenocytes of MS14 group produced significantly more IL-5 and IL-10 (3-4 times in comparison with control group mice). MS14 could upregulate Th2 cytokine and thereby it may possess immunoregulatory properties probably useful in treatment of some diseases.

Role of apoptosis in HESA--a teratogenicity in mouse fetus.

HESA-A is a natural compound of herbal-marine origin with cytotoxic and antitumor effects. The anticancer effects of HESA-A has been the subject of both in vivo and in vitro studies. This study was to investigate the mechanism of HESA-A teratogenicity. We assessed the HESA-A-induced apoptosis in mouse fetus in vitro by using the vital staining and TUNNEL methods. HESA-A, in lower doses, had no significant effect on apoptosis but, in higher doses of 20 and 40 muL, increased cell death. A dose of 100 muL induced the cell death with both apoptosis and necrosis mechanisms. HESA-A changed the cell-death pattern; in moderate doses of the drug, the apoptosis-to-necrosis ratio was more than 1, and in higher doses, this ratio was less than 1.

Anticancer effects of HESA-A in patients with metastatic colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: HESA-A is a natural biological compound of herbal-marine origin. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of HESA-A in patients with metastatic colon cancer. METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients with end-stage colon cancer and liver metastasis at the Cancer Research Center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were studied. Patients received HESA-A 50 mg/kg/d orally in 2 to 3 divided doses for 6 months. The patients were assessed at the start and end of the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, and 26th weeks of the study. The Karnofsky Performance Scale questionnaire was completed for each patient. RESULTS: The mean Karnofsky performance score increased from 33.6 +/- 9.8 to 63.3 +/- 11 after 10 weeks of study. No significant hepatic or hematological adverse effects were seen during the study. CONCLUSION: It seems that HESA-A is an effective and safe anticancer drug, which can be used in selected patients.

The EFFEct of HESA-A (natural drug) on visual acuity in age related macular degeneration: a randomized double blind controlled clinical trial.

We investigated the clinical efficacy and safety of HESA-A (a drug of herbal-marine origin) in the treatment of age related macular degeneration (AMD). In a randomized double blind clinical trial 280 eyes of 280 (157 F, 123 M) patients with wet and dry AMD were randomly assigned in treatment or placebo groups. Patients in treatment group received HESA-A tablet 25 mg/Kg twice a day orally and controls received placebo with the same method for 4 weeks. Visual acuity at baseline and after one month of treatment was measured and compared between two groups. All patients were followed up for 5 months after treatment. Mean patients' age was 69.06+/-8.49 years. At the end of study visual acuity improved significantly from 1.69+/-0.65 LogMar to 1.03+/- 0.40 LogMar in treatment group but not in controls (P: 0.000 and P: 0.67 in treatment and control groups respectively). No drug reaction or recurrence was reported during the study and 5-month post treatment follow up period in HESA-A treated group. This study showed significant efficacy and safety of HESA-A in improvement of visual acuity in AMD patients in short term.

The effect of HESA-A on psoriasis vulgaris.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis vulgaris is one of the most common chronic skin disorders without any curative treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of HESA-A in the treatment of psoriasis. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, 28 patients (11 male, 17 female) with chronic plaque-type psoriasis were randomly assigned to treatment and placebo groups. Patients in treatment group received HESA-A tablet 25 mg/kg twice a day orally and control group received placebo with the same method for 6 months and were followed clinically during the study. RESULTS: At the end of study, in the treatment group psoriatic plaques were absent (no evidence of psoriasis or complete remission) in 9 cases (64.2%) and was very mild (controlled, but not entirely cleared) in 5 cases (35.8%). Disease relief was observed in 10 (71.4%) patients after 4 months, in 2 cases (14.3%) after 5 months and in 2 (14.3%) other patients after 6 months while none of the controls showed disease improvement. CONCLUSION: This study showed rapid and good efficacy and safety of HESA-A in the treatment of plaque-type psoriasis.

An Iranian herbal-marine medicine, MS14, ameliorates experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system which mainly affects young adults. To overcome wide spectrum troublesome symptoms of multiple sclerosis which affects the quality of life both in patients and their families, new drugs and remedies have been examined and offered. The preclinical beneficial effects of different medicines have mostly been examined in an animal model of multiple sclerosis called experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this study we have tested a traditionally used natural (herbal-marine) product called MS(14) in EAE mice. EAE mice were fed with MS(14) containing diet (30%) on the immunization day and monitored for 20 days. The results show that while clinical scores and therefore severity of the disease was progressive in normal-fed EAE mice, the disease was slowed down in MS(14)-fed EAE mice. Moreover, while there were moderate to severe neuropathological changes in normal fed mice, milder changes were seen in MS(14) fed mice.

HESA-A: new treatment for breast cancer and choroidal metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is one of the main causes of mortality among women worldwide. This type of cancer metastasizes to different body tissues, giving rise to many problems. The effect of HESA-A, a drug of herbal-marine origin, on vision, quality of life, and survival of end-stage breast cancer patients was investigated in this study. MATERIAL/METHODS: In a double-blind study, 24 breast cancer patients with choroidal metastasis, aged between 41 and 49 years, were divided into case and control groups, treated with 50 mg/kg/day of HESA-A and placebo, respectively. The patients were evaluated in respect to the intensity of experienced pain, by assessing their rate of narcotic analgesic use. The patients' vision scale was also evaluated. RESULTS: Notable improvement was seen in the vision of patients treated with HESA-A. Patients receiving HESA-A used narcotics at lower doses, owing to reduced experience of pain. No changes were observed in the vision of control group patients, or their pain experience. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of natural compounds with antioxidant and anticancer properties have been emphasized by different studies. HESA-A is a compound of natural origin, consisting of rare elements and organic materials, which in several animal and cellular studies has shown powerful anticancer effects and less toxicity on normal cells. The results of this study showed considerable improvement in the vision of breast cancer patients treated with HESA-A.