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An unexpected entry in a traditional medicine book from the Republic of Guinea has led a USC cancer researcher to study whether medicinal properties in the bark of mahogany trees may hold clues to understanding colon cancer.
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| Michael Wargovich |
Funded by a $300,000, two-year grant from the National Cancer Institute, Michael Wargovich will examine mahogany--and four other medicinal plants native to West Africa--in a quest to discover novel, anti-inflammatory compounds that could prevent or treat colon cancer.
The study, the first of its kind, could be a major first step to other studies of medicinal plants and cancer. Specifically, Wargovich is looking at how native medicinal plants in West Africa, used traditionally for pain relief, fever and inflammation, interact to inhibit the growth of cancer tumors.
"The link between inflammation and cancer is not known," said Wargovich, who researches the link between non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and cancer.
NSAIDS appear to block the function of Cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzymes that are found at sites of inflammation, he said.
"Studies have shown that regular use of NSAIDS, such as Celebrex and Vioxx, may reduce the risk for several types of cancer, particularly colon cancer," said Wargovich, a USC School of Medicine pathology professor and researcher with the S.C. Cancer Center.
"Yet, recently we've learned that long-term use of these drugs can put patients at risk for health problems, such as heart attack, stroke, and gastrointestinal bleeding," he said. "Some NSAIDS have been removed from the market."
The solution, Wargovich said, is to find these same anti-inflammatory properties in plants.
4/06
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Mahogany tree and, below, close-up of its bark
