An experimental drug create from the seeds of a remarkable north Queensland fruit has effectively obliterated head, neck, colon, and skin tumors in animals.
The drug, called EBC-46, is derived from the blushwood tree, the Guardian reported. A solitary shot of the drug into melanoma models and head and neck tumors in dogs proved to cure over 70 percent of the cases.
"In preclinical trials we injected it into our models and within five minutes, you see a purpling of the area that looks like a bruise," Dr. Glen Boyle, from the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute told the Guradian. "About 24 hours later, the [tumor] area goes black, a couple of days later you see a scab, and at around the 1.5 week mark, the scab falls off, leaving clean skin with no [tumor] there. The speed certainly surprised me."
The berry that contains the cancer-fighting compound grows in extremely selective areas of north Queensland.
"The tree is very, very picky on where it will grow," Dr Boyle said. "It's only on the Atherton Tablelands at the moment and they're trying to expand that to different places of course because it'd be nice to be able to grow it on a farm somewhere.
EBC-46 triggers a cellular response that cuts off blood supply to the tumor, the Berghofer Medical Research Institute reported. The compound also activates the body's own immune system to "clean up the mess" left behind by the tumors, the Guardian reported.
The scientists were surprised to find there were no side effects of the incredibly strong drug. It is already being used by veterinarians on animals such as dogs and cats, but it will require final regulatory approval before a Phase I clinical trial can begin.
"We must stress at this point that EBC-46 will only be [trialed] in the short-term for [tumors] which can be accessed by direct injection or topical application," Dr. Boyle said. "There is no evidence to suggest EBC-46 would be effective against metastatic cancers."
The findings were published in the journal PLOS ONE.
