POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Please note: All posters will be displayed in
Salons 10-12.
FRIDAY, 10:15-11:00 AM
Amri H, Degenhardt B, Pretner E, Kulawardane DV, MacLaughlin
B, Papadopoulos V.
Effects of homeopathic Saw palmetto (Sabal Serrulata)
on human prostate cancer cells.
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Georgetown
University School of Medicine amrih@georgetown.edu
PURPOSE: The study investigates the effects
of homeopathic preparations of saw palmetto on a number of human prostate
cancer cell lines. Prostate cancer remains the second leading cause
of cancer-related mortality in men in the United States, with projected
estimates of 30,500 deaths and 232,090 new cases in 2005 alone (American
Cancer Society, 2005). Significant controversy surrounds the management
of this major public health problem. While urologists increasingly rely
on saw palmetto (Sabal serrulata) as a promising complementary
treatment for the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, homeopaths
have been advocating saw palmetto's role in the treatment of prostate
disorders ranging from hyperplasia to cancer. Modern research tools
and rigorous scientific method must be applied in order to assess the
efficacy of homeopathic saw palmetto therapy.
METHODS: Pharmacological and homeopathic dilutions
of saw palmetto were administered to the androgen receptor negative
human prostate cancer cell lines DU-145 and PC-3, as well as the androgen
receptor positive LNCaP human prostate cancer cell line. A 1:100 dilution
of mother tincture, referred to as 1C, was used as the pharmacological
dose; the homeopathic doses were the centesimal dilutions 100C, 200C
and 300C. Cells were grown in 96-well plates, treated three times at
four hour intervals for one day, and allowed to recover for three days
prior to biochemical testing. Cytomorphological observations by reverse
phase microscopy as well as crystal violet proliferation and MTT cell
viability assays were performed at the end of the recovery period. Control
cell lines included the MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer and MGM-1 human
brain tumor cell lines.
RESULTS: Cytomorphological results indicated
that the 1C dose of saw palmetto was damaging to most cell lines, resulting
in spherical cell shape and detachment from the plate. Controls and
cells treated with homeopathic dilutions retained their normal morphology.
Biochemical assays of cells exposed to the 1C dose confirmed cytotoxicity,
whereas the homeopathic treatments of the DU-145 and PC-3 prostate cancer
cell lines reduced cell proliferation without affecting cell viability.
Interestingly, LNCaP cells remained unaffected by the homeopathic treatments
and exhibited increased proliferation at the 1C dose. Homeopathic treatment
of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells did not affect their proliferation;
however, MGM-1 human brain tumor cells exhibited decreased cell proliferation.
Interestingly, the Materia Medica lists saw palmetto as a treatment
for nervous system-related problems.
CONCLUSION: Saw palmetto used at homeopathic
dilutions decreased androgen receptor negative human prostate cancer
cell proliferation.
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