Antioxidants & Coenzyme Q10 in Cancer Prevention &
Treatment.
Dr. Nancy Scanlan presented this at 1999
AHVMA annual conference. There are many researches done on antioxidants,
which show effectiveness in prevention and treatment of cancer.
Antioxidants protect against chemotherapy
toxicity and local toxic effects of tumors or surrounding tissues.
Antioxidants act to inhibit or reverse oxidation. Free radicals are
potentially carcinogenic, and are created by healthy cell metabolism,
diseased cells, carcinogen, treatment with chemotherapy, treatment with
radiation, cancer. Action of free radicals can damage DNA, cause
mutations, damage proteins, damage lipids, damage carbohydrates, alter
function of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and create more free
radicals.
One very interesting thing about cancer
cells are that they lose apoptosis (programmed cell death) ability.
Vitamin E sccunate inhibit growth and induce apoptosis ability of human
breast cancer cell and colorectal cancer cell. Retinoids induced
apoptosis in canine osteosarcoma, sulfur containing antioxidant works
for cancer cell lines, flavopiridol for leukemia but not for prostate
cancer.
Studies show that antioxidant inhibit
cell proliferation. Vitamin E showed this ability to breast cancer
cells. Gentistein did this for normal and tumor cells. Silymarin
modulates cell cycle regulatory proteins, inhibits growth of prostate
cancer. Vitamin A is useful after the surgery to stop cancer cells from
spreading. Many people are worry about toxicity on vitamin A. For human,
acute toxicity is 2,000,000 iu. Chronic toxicity is 500,000 iu daily for
2 months, or 50,000 iu daily for 18 months. For cat and small dog,
100,000 iu daily for 6 months, and 10,000 iu once or twice a week. For 35
- 60 lb dog, 25,000 iu a week. Vitamin E supplement will counteract the
toxicity of vitamin A.
Study showed decreased activity of
certain oncogenies when SOD was increased. Vitamin C inhibits growth of
stomach cancer, Coenzyme Q10 is involved in DNA synthesis and decreases
mutations.
Word about Beta carotene. Beta Carotene
is just one of the over 500 carotenoids. Beta carotene showed promising
result on oral leukoplakias, skin cancer, sarcomas, but there was an
increased risk for thyroid cancer in an Italians who have the highest
consumption of beta carotene. It actually increases the chance of
getting two types of king cancer. Dr. Scanlan do not recommend giving
only beta carotene.
Vitamin C has stronger antioxidant effect
than vitamin A, E, or beta carotene. It can prevent the start of lipid
damage. Diets high in vitamin C decrease cancer, especially of the
esophagus and stomach, uterine cervical dysplasia, breast, larynx, oral
cavity, pancreas, rectum and cervix. It is good for almost every cancer
except for nonlymphocytic leukemia. However, there is a study about ill
effect of vitamin C. Rats were fed high dose of vitamin C, second
generation rats developed renal calcification and bladder carcinoma. If
your animals do not have cancer, give very low dosage. Do not use time
release type. This type is made for human intestine. Dogs or cats with
short intestine will not be able to get anything out of it. Vitamin C
will counteract vitamin E's side effect to prolong blood clotting time.
Bioflavonoids are the active red, yellow
and blue pigmentations that accompany vitamin C in plants. There are
thousands of bioflavonoids. Pycnogenol, cranberry, citrus, grape seed,
genistein to name a few. These have different bioflavonoids and it is
better to use several kinds rather than just one type.
Selenium works with vitamin E. It is more
effective as cancer prevention than as cancer treatment. Vitamin E,
given solely, actually change to a pro-oxidant rather than doing a job
as antioxidant. Vitamin E also worked better with vitamin C. In mast
cell tumors, a combination os quercitin, vitamin C and bioflavonoids can
stabilize mast cell membranes.
As you can see, difference antioxidants
are good for difference types of cancer. It is advisable to give mixed
antioxidant, instead of just one kind, to prevent and treat cancer.
Supplements should be in capsule form rather than tablet form.
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