How does betulinic acid distinguish cancer cells from healthy cells?
Friday, April 3rd, 2009 at
1:44 pm
CB asked:
betulinic acid has the ability to selectively kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alive. how do they do that?
Tagged with: Cancer Cells • Cells Alive
Filed under: Cancer
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Lung Cancer
The ability of betulinic acid to induce two different effects (cytotoxic and cytostatic) on two clones derived from the same human melanoma metastasis suggests that the development of clones resistant to this agent will be more unlikely, than that to conventional cytotoxic drugs. Moreover in spite of the lower potency compared with doxorubicin betulinic acid seems to be selective for tumor cells with minimal toxicity against normal cells. The effect of betulinic acid on melanoma cell lines is stronger than its growth-inhibitory effect on primary melanocytes. Study of combination of betulinic acid with γ-irradiation showed clearly additive effects, and indicates that they differ in their mode of action.
Betulinic acid isn’t very poisonous, is relatively inexpensive, and is abundantly available from the bark of white birch trees in the form of betulin. The compound is presently undergoing preclinical development.
Sorry… that is the best I can come up with. I don’t think they have done enough studies to actively show exactly how the acid distinguishes between cancer cells and healthy cells. From what I understand, clinical studies are underway.