Uncaria tomentosa—Adjuvant Treatment for Breast Cancer: Clinical Trial
Maria do Carmo Santos Araújo,1,2 Iria Luiza Farias,1,2 Jessie Gutierres,1 Sergio L. Dalmora,3,4 Nélia Flores,2 Julia Farias,1 Ivana de Cruz,5 Juarez Chiesa,2 Vera Maria Morsch,1 and Maria Rosa Chitolina Schetinger1
1Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, Predio18, 97105-900 Santa Maria, Rs, Brazil 2Santa Maria University Hospital, Federal University of Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, Predio18, 97105-900 Santa Maria, Rs, Brazil 3Department of Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, Predio18, 97105-900 Santa Maria, Rs, Brazil 4Department of Industrial Pharmacy, Federal University of Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, Predio18, 97105-900 Santa Maria, Rs, Brazil 5Department of Morphology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, Predio18, 97105-900 Santa Maria, Rs, Brazil
Abstract Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplasm affecting women worldwide. Some of the recommended treatments involve chemotherapy whose toxic effects include leukopenia and neutropenia. This study assessed the effectiveness of Uncaria tomentosa (Ut) in reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy through a randomized clinical trial. Patients with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma—Stage II, who underwent a treatment regimen known as FAC (Fluorouracil, Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide), were divided into two groups: the UtCa received chemotherapy plus 300 mg dry Ut extract per day and the Ca group that only received chemotherapy and served as the control experiment. Blood samples were collected before each one of the six chemotherapy cycles and blood counts, immunological parameters, antioxidant enzymes, and oxidative stress were analyzed. Uncaria tomentosa reduced the neutropenia caused by chemotherapy and was also able to restore cellular DNA damage. We concluded that Ut is an effective adjuvant treatment for breast cancer.
Source : Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2012 (2012) Link to Full Article