Natural Malaria Substance - novel treatment option for brain tumors

Around 7 out of 100,000 people are affected by primary malignant brain tumors. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common type of brain tumor. It grows rapidly and has a low prognosis of approximately 15 months. The  mean age after diagnosis is 63 years (1, 2). Despite significant progress in treatment, there remains a critical need for novel treatment options for GBM. 

Natural Malaria Substance – novel treatment option for brain tumors

Artemisinin, deriving from the plant Artemisia annua is a potent natural substance globally used to treat Malaria. It was discovered in the 1970s from Traditional Chinese Medicines and has since then saved millions of lives (3). Due to its cytotoxic properties it has not only been acknowledged for treating Malaria but also for its potential anticancer properties. With the discovery of Artemisinin and its derivates, researchers have been investigating the mechanisms on how these compounds work e.g. in inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, promoting apoptosis, disrupting caner invasion and metastasis, and preventing angiogenesis (4).

The natural malaria substance Artemisinin  –  a novel treatment option for brain tumors. 

In a recent study using genome-wide screening, researchers have identified mitochondrial function, particularly the biosynthesis of porphyrin, as a crucial pathway responsible for Artemisinin´s cytotoxicity. The potential of this novel treatment option for human brain tumors is currently under investigation (5, 6).

EZ4U / MTT Cell viability assay (cat. no. BI-5000) – BIOMEDICA

 

The Biomedica EZ4U cell viability and cytotoxicity assay was employed in mammalian cell lines in the described study:

A whole-genome scan for Artemisinin cytotoxicity reveals a novel therapy for human brain tumors.

The non-toxic and non-radioactive assay EZ4U / MTT Cell viability assay is based on the conversion of the yellow tetrazolium salt to coloured soluble formazan, which is produced by mitochondrial enzymes. The quantity of formazan produced is in direct proportion to the number of viable, living cells present.

Assay Characteristics

• Method: Reduction of tetrazolium salt to coloured formazan
• Sample type cell culture medium
• Sample size 200 μl / test, 10×96 tests
• Detection limit depending on cell lines Incubation time 2 – 5 h

 

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Literature

1. Brain Tumors. Am J Med. McFaline-Figueroa JR, Lee EQ. 2018 Aug;131(8):874-882. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.12.039. Epub 2018 Jan 31. PMID: 29371158.
2. Rising Incidence of Glioblastoma Multiforme in a Well-Defined Population. Grech N, Dalli T, Mizzi S, Meilak L, Calleja N, Zrinzo A Cureus. 2020 May 19;12(5):e8195. doi: 10.7759/cureus.8195. PMID: 32572354; PMCID: PMC7302718.
3. The discovery of artemisinin and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Su XZ, Miller LH. Sci China Life Sci. 2015 Nov;58(11):1175-9. doi: 10.1007/s11427-015-4948-7. PMID: 26481135; PMCID: PMC4966551.
4. Antitumor Research on Artemisinin and Its Bioactive Derivatives. Zhang Y, Xu G, Zhang S, Wang D, Saravana Prabha P, Zuo Z. Nat Prod Bioprospect. 2018 Aug;8(4):303-319. doi: 10.1007/s13659-018-0162-1. Epub 2018 Apr 9. PMID: 29633188; PMCID: PMC6102173.
5. A whole-genome scan for Artemisinin cytotoxicity reveals a novel therapy for human brain tumors. Taubenschmid-Stowers J, Orthofer M, Laemmerer A, Krauditsch C, Rózsová M, Studer C, Lötsch D, Gojo J, Gabler L, Dyczynski M, Efferth T, Hagelkruys A, Widhalm G, Peyrl A, Spiegl-Kreinecker S, Hoepfner D, Bian S, Berger W, Knoblich JA, Elling U, Horn M, Penninger JM. EMBO Mol Med. 2023 Mar 8;15(3):e16959. doi: 10.15252/emmm.202216959. Epub 2023 Feb 6. PMID: 36740985.
6. Achilles heel of glioblastoma. JLP Health and its partners discover combinatorial treatment option for incurable brain tumors. Press Release, JLP Health GmbH, Vienna, Austria, 7 February 2023.