By Amber Roman
Nov 29, 2024, 17:54 PM EST
An international team of researchers has taken a crucial step in the fight against cancer by developing a new drug based on gold compounds. This innovative treatment has shown promising results in preclinical studies, far surpassing the effects of traditional treatments such as cisplatin. The research, led by experts from Australia’s RMIT University in collaboration with Indian institutions, was published in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
The gold compound, specifically designed to be reactive and biologically active, has been shown to be 27 times more potent against cervical cancer cells than cisplatin, one of the most widely used chemotherapy drugs. Furthermore, laboratory trials confirmed that this drug is 3.5 times more effective against prostate cancer and 7.5 times more effective against fibrosarcoma.
In tests with mice, the results were even more impressive. While cisplatin achieved a 29% reduction in cervical cancer tumor growth, the gold compound achieved an 82% reduction. These findings mark significant progress toward the development of safer and more effective alternatives to conventional platinum-based therapies.
Professor Suresh Bhargava, project director at RMIT, highlighted that gold’s unique properties make it ideal for medical applications. Unlike many metals, gold is stable and does not react chemically, making it safe for use in the human body. However, the compound developed in this study incorporates a modified version that specifically interacts with the enzyme thioredoxin reductase, present in high concentrations in cancer cells. This interaction blocks the multiplication of malignant cells and prevents them from developing resistance to drugs.
Bhargava stressed that this selectivity minimizes the typical side effects of cisplatin treatments, which affect both cancer cells and healthy cells. “The new compound is not only more effective, but also considerably less toxic for the patient,” he explained.
Another significant advance of this treatment is its ability to inhibit angiogenesis, the process by which tumors generate new blood vessels for nutrition and growth. This dual action was tested in zebrafish models and has been shown to be effective against various types of cancer, including ovarian cancer. The latter represents a particular challenge due to its tendency to develop resistance to conventional therapies such as cisplatin.
Professor Magdalena Plebanski, co-leader of the project and an expert at RMIT’s Cancer, Aging and Vaccines Laboratory, said the compound’s effectiveness against resistant ovarian cancer cells is a crucial step in the fight against metastases and recurrent cases.
The use of gold in medicine is not new; Its healing properties have been valued for centuries in practices such as Ayurvedic. However, modern research is taking this ancient knowledge to new scientific heights. Drugs like auranofin, initially developed to treat arthritis, are being repurposed to fight cancer in clinical trials.
Bhargava noted that the potential of gold in modern medicine is far from being exhausted. “Our research not only scientifically validates the use of gold, but also opens the door to new families of compounds designed to maximize their therapeutic capacity,” he commented.
With these encouraging results, the research team hopes to move toward human clinical trials, which could transform the landscape of oncology treatment in the coming years. While there is still work to be done, this development promises to revolutionize the way some of the most challenging cancers are tackled.
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