GASTRIC CANCER

Gastric cancer is the fourth most commonly occurring in men and the seventh most commonly occurring cancer in women. According to stats given by wcrf.org, Gastric cancer has a very high mortality rate and around 1 million new cases were registered worldwide in 2018! Conventional treatments for cancer like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy have failed to completely eliminate gastric cancer.Although, several studies have been conducted on Tocotrienol (Eannatto) and its effects on Gastric Cancer and one of them is ‘First Evidence That Gamma-Tocotrienol Inhibits the Growth of Human Gastric Cancer and Chemosensitizes it to Capecitabine in a Xenograft Mouse Model through the Modulation of NF-kB Pathway’ where it was observed that Tocotrienol could potentiate the effects of capecitabine through suppression of NF-kB-regulated markers of proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis.

Why Tocotrienol?

Why Tocotrienol?

Antioxidants, especially Tocotrienol protects all your cells from inflammation especially chronic inflammation which may lead to gastric cancer.

Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis which is the process of formation of blood vessels in cancer cells like in your gastric cancer. Tocotrienol promotes cancer cell death to a very great extent.

Apoptosis

Apoptosis is the programmed cell death which leads to the death of cancer cells. Gamma-Tocotrienol was observed to induce apoptosis in gastric cancer cells by downregulating Raf-ERK signaling pathway and activating Caspase-9.

Cell Proliferation

Cell Proliferation is the process by which cancer cells copy their DNA and divide into more cancer cells during mitosis thus lead to spreading cancer.Gamma-Tocotrienol was observed to inhibit the proliferation of various gastric cancer lines.

Chemoprevention

Chemoprevention and anti-angiogenic activity were observed when Gamma-Tocotrienol inhibited HIF-1 alpha accumulation and paracrine secretion of VEGF through suppression of pERK1/2.

Chemosensitization

Chemosensitization is the combination of Tocotrienol with several chemotherapeutic drugs such as celecoxib, statins, capecitabine or dietary components such as curcumin, polyphenols, etc. effectively sensitize the cancer cells.Activation of NF-kBwas inhibited by Gamma-Tocotrienol to potentiate the apoptotic effects of capecitabine.

Both in Vitro and in Vivo

Both in Vitro and in Vivo, Gamma-Tocotrienol was observed to impede the growth of human gastric cancer.

Anti-metastatic

Anti-metastatic property of Gamma-Tocotrienol was observed when it downregulatedMMP-2,-9 and upregulated tissue of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and TIMP-2 in vitro.

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Dosage

In a xenograft model of human gastric cancer in nude mice, it was observed that the administration of Gamma-Tocotrienol of dosage 1mg/kg of body weight of mice significantly suppressed the growth of the tumor. For humans, around 900 mg/day of Tocotrienol has been observed to suppress tumor growth without any adverse effects.

Why Tocotrienol and Not Tocopherol?

Tocopherol, the enemy of Tocotrienol

Tocopherol, the enemy of Tocotrienol: In the studies, Tocopherol was observed to interfere in the functioning of Tocotrienol! Tocopherol has been observed to attenuate cancer inhibition, inhibits absorption, reduces adipose storage, and compromises cholesterol and triglyceride reduction.

Tocotrienol, the protector of State

Tocotrienol, the protector of State: Tocotrienol has more mobility than Tocopherol due to its small structure so it can cover a larger area targeting more number of gastric cancer cells.

Small structure and less molecular weight

Small structure and less molecular weight: The higher anti-oxidant activity of Tocotrienols is due to their small structure and less molecular weight which assist in their integration of the cell, unlike Tocopherols.

Tocopherol in your food

Tocopherol in your food: The amount of antioxidants like Tocopherols required by your body is already present in our daily diet so we won’t get any benefit from Tocopherol supplementation.

References