TY - JOUR
T1 - Induction of apoptosis of tumor cells by some potentiated homeopathic drugs
T2 - Implications on mechanism of action
AU - Preethi, Korengath
AU - Ellanghiyil, Sunila
AU - Kuttan, Girija
AU - Kuttan, Ramadasan
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge Samueli Foundation, USA, for the grant allowing us to carry out this work. They are also grateful to Dr R. K. Maheshwari for his kind help.
PY - 2012/6
Y1 - 2012/6
N2 - Background. Homoeopathic medicines treat diseases, including cancer, using ultradiluted preparations. Earlier studies indicated that homoeopathic medicines are cytotoxic to tumor cells and reduced animal tumors. However, the mechanism of homoeopathic medicines at the cellular level is not known. Methods. The following drugs were used in the study: Ruta 200C, Carcinosinum 200C, Hydrastis 200C, Thuja 200C, and Thuja 1M. These drugs were tested for their ability to induce apoptosis as seen by morphology, DNA laddering, expression of genes related to apoptosis, and TUNEL assay. Similarly, the effect of homoeopathic medicines on apoptosis was measured by microarray analysis. Activity of Ruta 200C was compared with that of the mother tincture. Results. Ruta 200C produced morphological changes in the Dalton's lymphoma ascites tumor cells and induced DNA laddering. Carcinosinum 200C increased apoptotic gene p53 and Ruta 200C decreased antiapoptotic gene Bcl2. Administration of potentiated homoeopathic drugs to tumor-bearing mice induced TUNEL-positive cells in the tumor, showing increased apoptosis of tumor cells. Microarray analysis of cells treated with homoeopathic drugs indicated that many enzymes related to apoptosis were increased by homoeopathic drugs. Conclusion. These data indicate that apoptosis is one of the mechanisms of tumor reduction of homeopathic drugs. A comparison of potentiated drugs with their mother tincture indicated that the potentiated drugs have biological activity similar to that of their mother tincture in spite of ultradilution.
AB - Background. Homoeopathic medicines treat diseases, including cancer, using ultradiluted preparations. Earlier studies indicated that homoeopathic medicines are cytotoxic to tumor cells and reduced animal tumors. However, the mechanism of homoeopathic medicines at the cellular level is not known. Methods. The following drugs were used in the study: Ruta 200C, Carcinosinum 200C, Hydrastis 200C, Thuja 200C, and Thuja 1M. These drugs were tested for their ability to induce apoptosis as seen by morphology, DNA laddering, expression of genes related to apoptosis, and TUNEL assay. Similarly, the effect of homoeopathic medicines on apoptosis was measured by microarray analysis. Activity of Ruta 200C was compared with that of the mother tincture. Results. Ruta 200C produced morphological changes in the Dalton's lymphoma ascites tumor cells and induced DNA laddering. Carcinosinum 200C increased apoptotic gene p53 and Ruta 200C decreased antiapoptotic gene Bcl2. Administration of potentiated homoeopathic drugs to tumor-bearing mice induced TUNEL-positive cells in the tumor, showing increased apoptosis of tumor cells. Microarray analysis of cells treated with homoeopathic drugs indicated that many enzymes related to apoptosis were increased by homoeopathic drugs. Conclusion. These data indicate that apoptosis is one of the mechanisms of tumor reduction of homeopathic drugs. A comparison of potentiated drugs with their mother tincture indicated that the potentiated drugs have biological activity similar to that of their mother tincture in spite of ultradilution.
KW - DNA microarray
KW - apoptosis
KW - homeopathy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84862010364&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84862010364&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1534735411400310
DO - 10.1177/1534735411400310
M3 - Article
C2 - 21771822
AN - SCOPUS:84862010364
SN - 1534-7354
VL - 11
SP - 172
EP - 182
JO - Integrative Cancer Therapies
JF - Integrative Cancer Therapies
IS - 2
ER -