Sometimes we see discoveries in the medical-scientific field which are really able to give us hope, especially when it comes to the treatment of diseases which unfortunately cause so many problems and difficulties for people. This is the case when we read the news transmitted by an Italian medical team, an actor in the search for possible cures for a tumor that affects the brain.
Published in the prestigious journal Biology , the study focuses on the incredible properties of a plant. That’s right: although it doesn’t sound very “scientific”, the natural element that we are going to tell you about would be a very good way to treat one of the most aggressive diseases that can affect the human brain, glioblastoma multiforme.
#1
image credit: LiChieh Pan/Flickr
This discovery was made by researchers at the Molise Neuropathology Laboratory at Neuromed , an Italian neurological institute located in Pozzilli, in the region of Molise, Italy. It was they who examined the substances extracted from Gymnema Sylvestre, a plant that grows in Africa, Australia, and Asia, mainly as a shrub and climbing plant.
Using and linking these elements in therapies used to treat glioblastoma multiforme, scientists have found that plant extracts effectively counter and inhibit the growth of tumor cells by regulating their metabolism.
#2
image credit: Biology
In particular, according to experts, the action of Gymnema Sylvestre acts on cancer by generating autophagy in its cells, that is to say, a mechanism that sees them self-destruct. “By activating this process en masse,” explains Dr Antonella Arcella, “it leads to generalized destruction of the tumor. These solutions can be used in addition to conventional therapies, which remain the basis against glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive tumors, of which the treatment is particularly difficult. “
#3
image credit: Lalithamba / Wikimedia
It is clear that in light of all this, being able to counter it using naturally occurring substances and therapies is a huge step forward, and Gymnesia Sylvestre seems to have scored a big blow in that regard. It must also be said that this plant has long been known for its therapeutic effects: in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, it is used in many ways to promote well-being, and in particular to fight against diabetes.
Encouraging results proved by science, therefore, for a precious element that nature offers us, and which seems to be a valid help in relieving the suffering of many people. Excellent news, isn’t it?
Source used:
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/9/870