Pain resulting from cancer is a major medical concern in the
world. Our research in this field has led to a natural novel
product, SPES, for treating cancer pain and suppressing cancer
metastasis. Our studies included evaluation of analgesic
tolerance, effects on peripheral pain-inducing substances, on
pain sense electrophysiology and on anticancer potency at the
genetic level. Our results show no apparent differences in time
and dose response of pain thresholds between SPES and
morphine (p>0.05). However, its analgesic effects are not
inhibited by naloxone, suggesting a different mechanism. SPES
was also found to act through multiple sites. So, SPES can
significantly reduce cancer pain without having the adverse
effects of opioids and improve the quality of life of terminally ill
cancer patients, as well.
Cancer pain resulting from malignant neoplasms is suffered
by 3,500,000 patients all over the world every day. Owing to
this, the World Health Organization demands that most cancer
pain should have been relieved by the year 2000. Currently, the
major method to treat cancer pain is to use drugs, which is not
only inadequate but causes harmful effects. Fortunately, SPES,
made from natural herbs by using modern scientific
microanalytic and biogenic pharmaceutical techniques, has been
proved with traditional Chinese medicine to be a cancer killer, as
well as an internal anticancer and analgesic modulator in the
human body. So, undoubtedly, it is SPES that is blazing a trail to
treat cancer pain.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The clinical and experimental researches in this study
concerned two aspects: anticancer pain and anticancer. By
evaluating the anticancer potency of SPES (evaluations of
clinical and experimental potency, analgesic tolerance and its
relativity with opium receptors), explaining the effects of SPES
on peripheral algogenic substance (PGF2a, PGE2, substance P
contents in stomach cancer tissues, serum B-endorphin
immunologically competent substance contents, intracerebral
acetylcholine contents) and pain sense electrophysiology (pain-inducing potentials in spinal cord and
cerebra and unit discharge
in hypothalamic ARC regions), evaluating anticancer potency of
SPES (experimental potency evaluation, dynamic researches into
reproduction of hepatoma cells) and series of researches into
effects of SPES on Cancer genetic expression (expression of
gene phenotypes of hepatoma and genetic expressions of N-ras,
IGF II of primary hepatoma), and tumor immunity |
(natural killer cell activity and LPO content in peripheral
blood), the potency and mechanism of the anticancer and
analgesic effects of SPES come to light.
By biogenic preparation techniques, SPES, a multiple
compatible agent, composed of Agromania pilose ledeb,
Corydalis bulbosa, Ganoderma gaponicum,
Glycyrrhiza, Panax Ginseng, Rabdosia Tubescens, etc.
(United States patent pending), was made. Considering
10 mg/kg (human dosage) as basis and using culturing
models of neoplasms and carcinomas from patients in the
terminal stage of cancer (hepatoma and stomach cancer
patients) and experimental animals (mice, rats, nude mice,
cats, etc.) and human cancer cell strains, radiation heat-causing tail-twitching test and radioimmunity
detection,
enzyme linking, biochemical antibodies, tissue
ultrastructure observation, flowing cellular analysis,
evoked potentials of nerve tissues and nit discharge of
neuron detection and gene probes were adopted to attain
satisfactory results.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
In the clinical and experimental research, the following
results of the analgesic effects of SPES were obtained:
1. SPES had the ability to eminently raise pain and pain
tolerance thresholds (p<0.01), indicating the analgesic
effects and duration of SPES > those of
dihydroergotamine (Fig. 1), but SPES produced less side
effects than dihydroergotamine (Table 1) and improved
the quality of life (Fig 2).
2. No apparent differences in time-effect and dose-effect
relationships of pain thresholds existed between the
SPES and morphine groups (p>0.05) (Fig. 3), but SPES
suggested a stronger analgesic and tolerant ability, not to
be antagonized by naloxone.
3. SPES obviously decreased PGF2a and PGE2 levels in
sera (p<0.05), in addition, inhibited those in tissue
(p<0.01).
4. In quiescent states, SPES was able to increase greatly
after medication with SPES.
Figure 1 - Evaluation of average degree of anticancer-pain 24 h after effects of different
drugs. |
Table 1 - Comparison of clinical
effects.
Legend - A: reaction; B: sleepiness; C: drowsiness; D: nausea;
E: vomiting; F:
anxiety; G: constipation; H: euphoria.
Figure 2 - Effects of cancer pain on relative norms of life
quality after dosages of different drugs.
Legend - A: general activity; B: motion; C: ability to walk; D:
appetite; E: sleep; F: delight of life; G: temperature.
5. Intracerebral Ach levels increased very markedly after
using SPES (p<0.01).
6. SPES was able to effectively inhibit the wave
amplitudes of P250-260 and prolong the latent periods.
7. SPES was observed to successfully suppress the
increase in cellular discharge induced by somatic and
visceral pain (p<0.01), reduce basically-discharged cells
in number (p>0.05) and also inhibit evoked potentials of
pain stimulation and the RGC frequency enhancement of
the stimulation.
8. SPES, as well as morphine, markedly caused more
ARC excitatory unit discharges (p<0.05) and greatly
shortened the duration the damaging stimulation response
required.
Besides, in the aspect of anticancer, SPES, with
granules that can enter the nuclear region, also
demonstrates tumor growth- and cancer cell
proliferation-inhibiting effects by decreasing the total unit
area of survived hepatoma cells (Fig. 4), blocking
duplication and division of DNA, appearance of
heteroploids in hepatoma cells and overexpressions of
N-ras genes and IGF II in human primary hepatoma
cells; and increasing RBC-SOD and serum SOD levels in
cancer blood and natural killer cell activity. |
Figure 3 - Time-effect relationships of pain thresholds
affected by SPES and morphine.
Figure 4 - SPES is able to kill cancer cells.
1 - State of human hepatoma cells before medication of
SPES.
2 - Human hepatoma cells denatured 12 h after effects of
SPES.
3 - Human hepatomacells was damaged 24 h after effects
of SPES.
From these previous results the following conclusion
can be made:
Both animal model study and human clinical trials have
demonstrated the high potency and low toxicity of SPES.
It is very effective in treating cancer and cancer pain.
While there is no apparent difference in time and dose
response of pain thresholds between SPES and morphine,
the analgesic effect of SPES is not inhibited by naloxone,
suggesting a different mechanism. At
present, we are isolating and evaluating its novel active
chemical compounds for potential anticancer and
anticancer pain therapeutic agents.
REFERENCES
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2. Li GX:
Toxicology and Clinical Practice of Chinese Medicine.
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Dictionary of Chinese Medicine., Shanghai, Shanghai
People's Press, 1977.
4. HOLLAND JF: Cancer Medicine. Philadelphia, Lea &
Febiger, 1982.
5. WEINDEG RA: A molecular basis of cancer. Scientific
Amer 1983; 249(5):126. |