Uncaria tomentosa-Adjuvant Treatment for Breast Cancer: Clinical Trial.
Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplasm affecting women worldwide. Some of the recommended treatments involve chemotherapy whose toxic effects include leukopenia and neutropenia. This study assessed the effectiveness of Uncaria tomentosa (Ut) in reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy through a randomized clinical trial. Patients with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma-Stage II, who underwent a treatment regimen known as FAC (Fluorouracil, Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide), were divided into two groups: the UtCa received chemotherapy plus 300 mg dry Ut extract per day and the Ca group that only received chemotherapy and served as the control experiment. Blood samples were collected before each one of the six chemotherapy cycles and blood counts, immunological parameters, antioxidant enzymes, and oxidative stress were analyzed. Uncaria tomentosa reduced the neutropenia caused by chemotherapy and was also able to restore cellular DNA damage. We concluded that Ut is an effective adjuvant treatment for breast cancer.
Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, Predio18, 97105-900 Santa Maria, Rs, Brazil.
Maria do Carmo
Mdo C
Santos Araújo
Iria Luiza
IL
Farias
Jessie
J
Gutierres
Sergio L
SL
Dalmora
Nélia
N
Flores
Julia
J
Farias
Ivana
I
de Cruz
Juarez
J
Chiesa
Vera Maria
VM
Morsch
Maria Rosa
MR
Chitolina Schetinger