Avocado discovery may point to leukemia treatment

A compound in avocados may finally offer a route to greater leukemia treatment, suggests a new College of Guelph study.

The compound targets an enzyme that researchers have recognized for the very first time as remaining vital to cancer cell growth, explained Dr. Paul Spagnuolo, Division of Food Science.

Posted not too long ago in the journal Blood, the examine focused on acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which is the most devastating form of leukemia. Most situations come about in individuals in excess of age 65, and less than 10 per cent of individuals endure five years right after prognosis.

Leukemia cells have bigger amounts of an enzyme known as VLCAD associated in their metabolism, claimed Spagnuolo.

“The mobile relies on that pathway to survive,” he said, describing that the compound is a very likely prospect for drug treatment. “This is the very first time VLCAD has been identified as a focus on in any most cancers.”

His team screened nutraceutical compounds amid numerous compounds, hunting for any material that could inhibit the enzyme. “Lo and behold, the most effective one particular was derived from avocado,” reported Spagnuolo.

Earlier, his lab seemed at avocatin B, a unwanted fat molecule identified only in avocados, for opportunity use in avoiding diabetes and handling being overweight. Now he’s eager to see it utilized in leukemia individuals.

“VLCAD can be a great marker to recognize people ideal for this variety of remedy. It can also be a marker to evaluate the action of the drug,” reported Spagnuolo. “That sets the stage for eventual use of this molecule in human clinical trials.”

Currently, about half of sufferers in excess of 65 diagnosed with AML enter palliative care. Other people bear chemotherapy, but drug treatment options are harmful and can conclusion up killing sufferers.

“You will find been a travel to discover significantly less poisonous prescription drugs that can be applied.”

Referring to before get the job done making use of avocatin B for diabetic issues, Spagnuolo stated, “We done a human review with this as an oral health supplement and have been capable to demonstrate that considerable quantities are fairly properly tolerated.”