Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (Nov 2024)
Evaluating anticancer potentials of potentized preparations in an in-vivo xenograft model
Abstract
Background: Xenografts in immunodeficient mice play a pivotal role in testing novel anti-cancer treatments. Xenograft models expedite the drug discovery process, offering a cost-effective alternative to conventional animal models and providing essential data for clinical trials. We have followed the approach described by the Developmental Therapeutics Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), USA to investigate the therapeutic responses. Objectives: In this research, potentized preparations derived from biomaterial, referred to as nosodes, have exhibited promising effectiveness against cancer in laboratory experiments. This study seeks to further substantiate these findings by employing animal models. Method: Potentized preparations from category nosodes sourced from biomaterials of HIV, Cancer tissue, Hepatitis C and a combination underwent testing within the NCI's preclinical evaluation protocols using Xenograft models (HOP62). All the experimental mice were randomly assigned to one of six groups (n = 6), including vehicle and positive controls. These preparations were administered orally at a dosage of 0.1 ml, five days a week, over a four-week period. The mice were closely monitored at regular intervals for 32 days, with observations regarding changes in body weight, tumor volume, morbidity, and mortality. Relative tumor volume (RTV) was calculated as the tumor volume on the day of measurement divided by the tumor volume on day 1. Results: The groups treated with Hepatitis C 30c and HIV 100c nosodes have not shown effect with respect to Relative Tumor Volume (RTV). Evidence of significant tumor regression was observed for RTV on day 30 in groups treated with HIV nosode 30c (P = 0.002), and Cancer nosode 30c (P = 0.005). Percentage Survival was noted better in HIV nosode 30c treated group from day 25, however, in other groups survival percentage remained constant. Varied animal body weight in all groups was noted. Significant differences in tumor volume with respect to time in all treated groups were observed. Conclusion: Results are suggestive of tumor regression which is encouraging to undertake further clinical trials to explore the anticancer potential of HIV nosode and Cancer nosode.