Effects of African natural products on caspase-3 activity Free

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Prostate cancer is the single most diagnosed cancer in the United State, and is the second leading cause of death caused by cancer in men. African-Americas have a 59% greater incidence rate of prostate cancer than Caucasian men with death rate that is 128% higher. Local stage prostate cancer is more lethal in black men than in white men, suggesting biological differences in the responses to treatment of the two. From antiquity, natural products have been used in for treatment of various diseases and ailments in the African culture. The extracts of leaves, roots and stem bark of Erythrina lysistemon have a significant history in traditional medicine where it has been used in the treatment of various ailments with observed biological activities. Through collaboration with the University of Botswana, different erythrinaline alkaloids have been isolated from the flowers and pods of Erythrina lysistemon and screened for their effects on caspase-3, an executioner of apoptosis. Caspase-3 is the target enzyme for controlling apoptosis. We report that these compounds demonstrate a four-fold increase in caspase activity over the control, making them potential therapeutics for the treatment of cancer as inducers of apoptosis in cancer cells.

Funded in part by the NCMHD/NIH Grant # 1 37 MD001810-01