Pineapple crush may aid fight against cancer

[abdulhakeem]

July 07 2005 at 10:42AM
Sapa-AFP

Sydney - Australian scientists have discovered that pineapple molecules can act as powerful anti-cancer agents and said on Thursday the research could lead to a new class of cancer-fighting drugs.

Scientists at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) said their work centred on two molecules from bromelaine, an extract derived from crushed pineapple stems that is used to tenderise meat, clarify beers and tan hides.

One of the molecules, CCZ, stimulates the body's immune system to target and kill cancer cells, the other, CCS, blocks a protein called Ras, which is defective in 30 percent of all cancers.

QIMR researcher Tracey Mynott said her team had set out to find why the enzyme-rich bromelaine crush had such strong effects on biological material.

"In searching for these components, we discovered the CCS and CCZ proteins and found that they could block growth of a broad range of tumour cells, including breast, lung, colon, ovarian and melanoma," Mynott said in a statement.

While clinical trials are a long way off, Mynott said the research had huge potential.

"The way CCS and CCZ work is different to any other drug in clinical use today," she said.

"Therefore, CCS and CCZ will represent a totally new way of treating disease and potentially a whole new class of anti-cancer agent."

QIMR has launched a two-year study to examine the safety of the treatment and means of securing a reliable source of CCS and CCZ. If it succeeds it will seek a commercial partner to develop a drug that could be used in human clinical trials.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=117&art_id=qw1120709702225B223

[abdulhakeem]

New cancer hope stems from pineapples

Wednesday, July 6, 2005
By medical reporter Sophie Scott

Australian researchers are harvesting pineapples as a possible source of anti-cancer drugs, after a fluke discovery of their potential healing properties.

Researchers at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR) knew pineapple stems contained enzymes that could help digestion.

QIMR's Tracey Mynott says they have also found that hidden inside the stem are two molecules that could change the way cancer is treated.

One can stimulate the body's immune system to kill cancer cells; the other can stop a protein found in 30 per cent of all cancers.

"The discovery of the biological properties was quite by accident - it was one of those true serendipitous discoveries," Dr Mynott said.

While the research is only in its early stages, scientists say lab tests have shown the molecule can stop the growth of tumour cells in breast, lung, bowel and ovarian cancer.

"We've found that these molecules are very effective in blocking tumour growth in animal studies," QIMR spokesman Dr Christian Engwerda said.

Dr Mynott added: "We've shown we can inhibit tumour growth by 70 per cent and what's more important was that there was no evidence of any toxicity in these animals at all."

The researchers have won a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council which will allow clinical trials of the pineapple-produced drugs to begin within two years.

Their grant was part of $100 million in Federal Government research money announced today by federal Health Minister Tony Abbott.

"The Government is very conscious of the good our health and medical researchers do and the importance of ever increasing investment, if Australia is to retain its world leading edge," Mr Abbott said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200507/s1408433.htm