Prostate cancer trials undertaken at the University of Sydney have provided exciting results with reductions of up to 25 per cent of tumour growth in mouse models.
The trial of the commercially available antioxidant drink, Blueberry Punch, was undertaken by Dr Jas Sing from the University's ANZAC Research Institute and Dr Qihan Dong from the Bosch Institute, and will now to be put forward for human trials.
Blueberry Punch is an antioxidant cocktail based on foods which have been recognised as having similar attributes as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and their ability to inhibit a protein which puts the brakes on rapidly dividing cancer cells.
The Sydney University team studied the effect of the beverage on both cancer cell cultures and mouse models that mimic human prostate cancer with results published [online in the current issue of journal of the American Association of Cancer Research.]
'After 72 hours exposure to increasing concentrations of Blueberry Punch, prostate cancer cells showed a dose dependent reduction in size and viability when compared with untreated cells,' said Dr Sing. 'After feeding mice a 10 per cent solution of the punch for two weeks, we found the tumours in these mice were 25 per cent small than those found in mice that only drank tap water,' he said.
The study was partially funded by the makers of Blueberry Punch, Dr Red Nutraceuticals. The nutrition drink, Blueberry Punch, was developed by Greg Jardine, a biochemist from Dr Red.
Blueberry Punch consists of a combination of fruit concentrates (blueberry, red grapes, raspberry and elderberry), grape seed and skin extract, citrus skin extracts, green tea extract (EGCG), olive leaf and olive pulp extract, tarragon, turmeric and ginger.
Article adapted from University of Sydney, www.usyd.edu.au