Asthma induced by smoking can affect second generation offspring

That smoking during pregnancy affects child later in life is already known. But now researchers have found that smoking during pregnancy can affect not only children but also grandchildren. The finding was made by researchers at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, California, and was published in BMC Medicine journal.Asthma is a chronic respiratory increasingly more common in children. This disease is manifested by attacks of paroxysmal dyspnea, wheezing and coughing. Unlike COPD, asthma is characterized by normal respiratory function outside crisis. Symptoms of asthma are caused by chronic inflammation of the airways leading to obstruction. Attacks of dyspnea can be caused by stress, exposure to cold air or to certain pollutants.

Actually asthma is of several types: allergic asthma that begins early in childhood, �intrinsic asthama and mixed asthma. Generally asthma symptoms can be controlled with medication. There are several categories of drugs that are used in asthma: bronchodilators (beta blockers), such as salbutamol or formoterol. Other drugs used are corticosteroids such as budesonide or fluticasone. There are also anticholinergic (ipratropium), leukotriene inhibitors (montelukast) that cam be used to treat asthma.

Inhaler

It is known that smoking during pregnancy can affect fetal lung function. Now researchers want to extend discovery and conducted a study that examined the effects of nicotine exposure not only on the first (F1) but also on the second generation (F2) of rats.�It was found that nicotine has effects on both male and female offspring in terms of lung function. The discovery is exciting because F1 generation was not exposed to nicotine, but the effects on lung function have appeared on F2 generation. What the researchers discovered was that high levels of protein such as fibronectin, collagen and nicotinic receptors aceylcholine �were found inboth �F1 and F2 generation. It was also noticed that the expression of a marker �associated withnormal long development (PPAR?) was low in both F1 and F2.

Dr. Virender Rehan, who led this study, said that the possible explanation for the fact that the effects of nicotine are transmitted from one generation to another are related to the level of histone methylation (some protein DNA structure) and that it varies depending on sex . He explained that methylation was increased in testis of male rats but in �female rats, the metilation level was low.

This finding indicates that smoking during pregnancy has long lasting effects. It is therefore very important that pregnant women should be aware of the impact of nicotine.

�Brain tumors can arise from neurons also, research finds

A study by researchers from the U.S. and Japan have made new discoveries about glioblastoma�multiforme, an aggressive form of skin cancer. They found that this type of cancer derives from various types of cells in the brain and not only from glial cells as previously thought.

Glioblastoma�multiforme�is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer of the nervous system. The prognosis of this cancer is poor, the average survival is about one year. Causes leading to glioblastoma�formation are not fully known, but were put into question several factors. There seems to be a link between exposure to ionizing radiation and this form of cancer. There have also been studies that have shown that glioblastoma�is triggered by a viral infection (cytomegalovirus) or a parasitic infection (Plasmodium, a parasite that causes malaria). In addition, it was found that the cancer is more common in men over 50 years.

Brain tumors

The symptoms of this cancer are: headache, vomiting, nausea, seizures. There are also a number of neurological manifestations caused by tumor compression exerted�on certain lobes (frontal, temporal, etc.) such as�paresis. It must be noted that this glioblastoma�can develop asimptomatically and reach important sizes. This is a reason why some people reach the doctor in an advanced stage. Even with multimodal treatment (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy), chances of recovery are reduced. Therefore, researchers are investigating the mechanisms underlying this cancer to improve treatment methods.

A team of researchers led by Professor Inder�Verma�and Geneticist Dr. Dinorah�Friedmann�Morvinski, both of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies at La Jolla in California, studied glioblastoma�multiforme�in laboratory animals. To study glioblastoma�development, researchers transferred oncogenes (genes responsible for malignant tumors) in mice with genetically modified viruses. Then, after the cancer has started to grow, the researchers transferred some tumor cells from healthy mice. They found that it took only 10 tumor cells to produce glioblastoma in healthy mice.

It must be said that this finding is new because until now it was thought that glioblastoma�develop from glial cells. Glial cells are cells with the role of support and nutrition for neurons. This new finding shows that tumors may originate in several types of cells: glial cells, neural stem cells, neurons. Neurons can not divide, but they can become stem cells when stimulated by specific genes and thus transform into cells that can divide. Moreover, the study explains why glioblastoma�is so difficult to treat and why�the recurrences are �so frequently after surgery or chemotherapy.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

A new study conducted by stem cell researchers and ophthalmologists shows that the vision of blind mice can be improved through the use of an experimental treatment. This treatment uses stem cells taken from the skins of patients. The findings of the study show that induced pluripotent stem cells (or iPS cells) can be used to restore the vision of patients suffering from macular degeneration. Researchers suggest that the vision of patients suffering from other retina affecting diseases could also be improved through this novel method. iPS cells are derived from the adult human skin cells, however they retain their embryonic properties. The study has been recently published in the online journal�Molecular Medicine.

“With eye diseases, I think we’re getting close to a scenario where a patient’s own skin cells are used to replace retina cells destroyed by disease or degeneration”, said the main author of the study, Dr Stephen Tsang. He also added that the current study strengthens the idea that in the near future, iPS transplants will have a major impact on the medical practice of the near future, suggesting that this near future is very close. Dr Tsang is an associate professor of ophthalmology at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, in the United States.

The first information about human iPS cells arose in 2007 and was greeted by scientists who commended the discovery as a way of avoiding any ethical complications through the possibility of creating stem cells that are specific for each patient. iPS cells can evolve into any time of cell, very much like embryonic stem cells. There have been thousands of different iPS cell lines created from healthy patients and donors in the past years. However, most of the created cell lines have been used in drug screening and various research projects. Ophthalmologists support the transplantation of iPS cells into human subjects, saying that the eye is perfect for testing future iPS therapies.

stem cell

�“The eye is a transparent and accessible part of the central nervous system, and that’s a big advantage. We can put cells into the eye and monitor them every day with routine non-invasive clinical exams”, said Dr Tsang, whilst adding that even the most serious complications are not life-threatening. In the preclinical iPS study that was led by Dr Tsang, human iPS cells that were taken from a patient aged 53. These cells were first combined with growth factors which aided their transformation into specific cells found in the retina.

The main role of these cells is to nurture the light-sensing cells (the rods and the cones) and protect them from excessive cellular debris, heat and light. In the event that these retina cells are destroyed, the light-sensing cells degenerate, thus causing the patient to lose vision. The destruction of these retina cells happens in macular degeneration and retinitis�pigmentosa. The main cause of vision loss in older patients is macular degeneration. Researchers estimate that almost 30% of people will suffer of a form of macular degeneration by the age of 75. Almost 7 million Americans are currently affected by this disease, scientists suggesting that �this number will double by the year 2020.

The research team injected these iPS-derived cells directly into the right-hand side eyes of 34 laboratory mice. All of the mice suffered from a genetic mutation causing the degeneration of their own retina cells. In most of the tested subjects, the iPS cells were assimilated into the retina without causing any disruption. A group of control mice was also used, which received an injection of saline solution. The control group showed no improvement in the further tests.

Dr Tsang�notes that these findings offer evidence that stem cell transplantation can cause a life-long �neuronal recovery. He also added that neither of the mice showed any signs of tumor growth, thus showing that there is no reason to fear that the stem cell transplantation causes tumors. Dr Tsang said that future clinical trials on patients suffering from macular degeneration are planned for the next 3 years, following an extensive preclinical testing of animal subjects.

A similar clinical trial, published earlier this year, showed promising preliminary results for the use of retina cells that were derived from embryonic stem cells. These cells were used to treat 2 patients suffering from macular degeneration.

“These results are encouraging, but iPS cells could be a more attractive option than embryonic stem cells because patients may not need drugs to prevent rejection of the transplanted cells”, concluded Dr Tsang.

Full study text – “Long-term safety and efficacy of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) grafts in a preclinical model of retinitis�pigmentosa”� can be found here.

Way to improve sleep in patients taking beta-blockers

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) have found a way to combat sleep disorders caused by treatment with beta-blockers. They found that melatonin supplements help patients with sleep disorders. Beta-blockers are commonly used in cardiology to control cardiac arrhythmia or angina. It should be noted that over 20 million Americans take beta-blockers.Beta-blockers are part of major cardiac medications�because these�drugs have�shown to prolong survival in patients with heart disease. But like any drug, beta-blockers also have side effects. One of the side effects are sleep disturbances, affecting the quality of life of patients. Frank Scheer, PhD, MSc, year associate neuroscientist at BWH, and principal investigator on this study, said that although�it was�known long that beta-blockers are associated with sleep problems, though so far there have been no studies to determine if supplements melatonin help solve these problems.

Sleeplessness

Studies done by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) have shown that melatonin supplements not only increase the time slept but also sleep quality. They administered to 16 patients either placebo or melatonin supplements before bedtime for three weeks. Those participating in the study were analyzed during sleep in laboratory. The results of the study were positive in many aspects.�It was found that those who received melatonin supplements slept 37 minutes longer. In addition, it was also observed an improvement in sleep efficiency and an increase of more than 40 minutes in stage 2 sleep.

Scheer, who is assistant professor of Medicine at year Harvard Medical School, said that treatment with melatonin supplements has�no side effects. Unlike other drugs to combat insomnia, there were no adverse effects during the three weeks. In addition, there was no rebound insomnia after stopping treatment with melatonin supplements. furthermore, it appears that these supplements had a positive carry-over effect after cessation of treatment.

Although the results are good so far, researchers believe that further studies are needed to indicate whether other patients taking beta-blockers for causes other than hypertension may benefit from supplements of melatonin. It should be noted that beta-blockers are used not only for hypertension treatment but also in arrhytmias, cardiac ischemia and cardiac insufficiency.

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, an endocrine gland located in the center of the brain. Melatonin, among other roles,�is implied in sleep-wake rhythm control. It should be noted that the production of melatonin is inhibited by light, in other words melatonin is secreted only at night. It seems that beta-blockers interfere with melatonin production and a low melatonin production leads to sleep disorders.

Diabetes Research Breakthrough – New Drug Able To Prevent And Reverse the Development of Diabetes

According to a study published in Nature, researchers have developed a drug that not only can prevent type 2 diabetes, but can also reduce the progression of this disease. The study was conducted by a team of researchers from the Karolinska�Institute in Sweden, scientists from CSL’s�research laboratories in Melbourne and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Dr Andrew Nash, Senior Vice President of Research at CSL, said the results of this study represent a new hope for millions of people suffering from type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is one of the most common diseases of the modern world. It is important to know that type 2 diabetes is associated with metabolic syndrome, ie with obesity and hypertension. Type 2 diabetes can also be a lifestyle consequence . Diabetes mellitus is characterized by elevated blood glucose. In other words the resulting glucose can not enter cells and used as energy source, instead it remains in the blood stream.�The passage�of glucose into cells is facilitated by� insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Hyperglycemia has many health consequences which over time can lead to complications such as blindness or kidney problems (diabetic nephropathy). The most common symptoms of diabetes are polyuria, polyphagia�and polydipsia. Just like obesity, diabetes that does not hurt making it very dangerous and discovered incidentally.

Diabetes Type 2

If in��type 1 diabetes the problem consists of insufficient or nonexistent insulin, �in type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance is the problem. Glucose can not enter cells with the help of insulin due to the fat deposits which are found around the cells (insulin resistance). Researchers have managed to create a drug that prevents the formation of fat deposits around the heart and�muscle cells.� When administered to mice with type 2 diabetes (as a consequence of a fat-rich diet) cells within these tissues were once again sensible to insulin and blood glucose reversed to normal values.

“The results seen in these laboratory studies are very promising for the millions of people around the world who are affected by type 2 diabetes,” said Dr Andrew Nash, Senior Vice President of Research at CSL.

Dr Andrew Nash, Senior Vice President of Research at CSL, pointed out that insulin resistance leading to type 2 diabetes is caused by the presence of fat deposits in places like the heart or muscles. What the researchers also found was that VEGF-B�protein is involved in the transport and formation of fat deposits in the body. They created a drug that acts by blocking VEGF�signaling, called 2H10.

“We are very hopeful that the antibody-based drug that we have developed and tested together with Professor Eriksson will ultimately lead to a new treatment option for people with diabetes.”

Moreover, in order to test the efficacy OF 2H10�researchers have made several experiments on laboratory animals. In rats fed a fat rich diets the drug prevented both insulin resistance and diabetes. Researchers now wish to expand their research and test the drug on people with type 2 diabetes or at high risk of developing this disease.

Study Abstract Here.

New Drug Candidate for Tuberculosis

Scientists�investigate new drug to treat resistant� tuberculosis.�The new drug had promising results so far and, after having completed the clinical trials, expects FDA approval to be tested on humans. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium�tuberculosis. It is estimated that one-third�of the world population is infected with tuberculosis and that there are 8 million new cases of active tuberculosis per year. TB mainly affects the lungs but can also affect other organs such as the kidneys, bones etc. Pott�disease is an example of extrapulmonary TB infection, in which thoracic vertebrae are affected.

Injection

Even if in the past it was a life-threatening infection, now tuberculosis is an infection that can be treated and cured. Many infections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis�are asymptomatic, but there are times when the disease becomes active. Malnutrutia, smoking, alcoholism, diabetes is among the risk factors for tuberculosis. TB symptoms are chronic cough, weight loss, night sweats, anorexia. Cough may be dry, but sometimes there is a cough with bloody sputum.
Transmission of infection is by air through aerosol droplets from infected people. The infection is transmitted more easily in isolated rooms. It should be remembered that only people with active infection are contagious,� and not those with latent infection.

As far as TB treatment is concerned,�it should consist of at least three effective antituberculosis�drugs and should��last few months (6-9 months). The current treatment of tuberculosis include so-called first-line drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin, etc.) and second line drugs(streptomycin, ethambutol, etc.). The most common drugs are isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide�and ethambutol. Also, during treatment the patient should be watched and monitored bacteriologically. If it is multigrug resistant tuberculosis, the treatment lasts for 18-24 months. Now researchers investigate a new drug to treat resistant forms of tuberculosis. TBA-354 is the first drug developed in 50 years and it is the first designed to treat resistant forms of tuberculosis. During clinical trials, it turned out that TBA-354 has a higher efficiency and potency than other for drug, PA-824.

Professor Bill Denny, Co-Director of the Maurice Wilkins Centre ACSRC�and the principal investigator, said the TBA-354 is an improved version of PA-824 and has increased activity against resistant strains. In addition, the use of TBA-354 has the advantage of shortening the duration of treatment. TBA -354 is a nitroimidazole�and was designed by researchers from the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre (ACSRC) and those from Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery in collaboration with the TB Alliance and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) associated wih high levels of anxiety

According to studies conducted by researchers at North Carolina State University, bisphenol�A, a chemical found in plastic objects, drastically increases anxiety levels. They also have found that soy is a protective factor that mitigates the effects caused by bisphenol A. Bisphenol�A is a chemical compound that is very slightly soluble in water and it is found in plastics, bottles and other objects. There was a big controversy regarding this compound due to its very little known adverse effects. It seems that exposure to bisphenol�A affects growth and development in children. Therefore, bisphenol A is�considered in some countries a toxic substance. It has also been banned� in baby bottles use in many European countries.

Bisphenol A

The researchers wanted to know what are the effects of BPA on behavior. They conducted a study in which they used several groups of animals. The researchers studied four groups of rats: one group of rats fed only soy-free, one�group of rats fed soy, one�group that was fed with soya and the last group was not fed soy instead was not exposed to bisphenol. What the researchers found was that the level of bisphenol A found in rats exposed to this chemical compound was well within the normal range normally found in humans. Furthermore, rats that were fed soy genistein levels were well within the normal levels found in people with regularly intake of soy.

In addition, the researchers found that exposure to BPA is associated with behavioral disorders, such as anxiety. The study results showed that rats exposed to BPA and fed soy free diet had significantly higher levels of anxiety. In addition, they found that these behavioral disorders are caused by some changes in the amygdala, a region located in the brain nervous. The amygdala is a nerve formation, which is part of the limbic system, is located in the temporal lobes and has a role in regulating behavior. The amygdala is responsible for emotional reactions, fear, social behavior etc.. Also, the amygdala seems to have a role in the development and memory consolidation. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have found that BPA can cause some disturbances in the amygdala by gene changes. They noticed some changes in genes required for the release of oxytocin, ie estrogen receptor beta and the melanocortin receptor 4.

Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter secreted by the pituitary gland which has several roles. In addition to sexual reproduction-related functions (Labour, breastfeeding), oxytocin has a role in social behavior. It seems that the lack of oxytocin is associated with behavioral disorders. What is interesting is the fact that researchers found that rats on soy rich diets did not have high levels of anxiety. However, Dr. Heather Patisaul, associate professor of biology at year NC State and lead author, says that it is not known if soy photostrogens protects against the effects of BPA or it is other compound that offer protection. He added that he hopes to find the answer in a future research program.

Study abstract can be found here.

Improper Diet In Newborn Period Increases Risk of Metabolic Mischief and Obesity, Rat Study Suggests

According to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins Researchers, high fat diet after birth is associated with metabolic syndrome and obesity. This study was performed on mice lab models and showed that rats born to mothers fed high-fat diets but who get normal levels of fat in their diets right after birth avoid obesity, while rats born to mothers fed normal-fat diet but who get high levels of fat after birth�become obese.� This demonstrates that weight is influenced by both hereditary factors and environmental factors, but the most important are environmental factors.

Furthermore, researchers believe that diet during childhood is essential for health later in life. Kellie L.K. Tamashiro, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said that exposure to high fat diet immediately after birth predispose to weight gain and adverse effects on health in later life . In addition, she added that maintaining an appropriate weight status during childhood prevents cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Moreover, Tamashiro�believes that obstetricians should refer obese mothers to lose weight and to maintain a healthy lifestyle both during pregnancy and during breastfeeding.

Junk food

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have conducted an experiment on mice, in which a part of them were fed with high fat diet and�the rest of them with normal fat diet. High fat diet was given to rats both during pregnancy and after birth. Scientists found that newborn rats that were fed with high fat diet developed glucose and leptin intolerance and�had an�excessive weight gain. Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipocytes that controls appetite. In obese individuals, the signals sent by the hormone do not work properly, and therefore appetite is increased. This is one of the mechanisms of obesity.

Obesity is a risk factor for several diseases: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer etc. Metabolic syndrome is a concept�that refers to glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia, hypertension and obesity. There are several criteria of the metabolic syndrome: waist�circumference, high triglycerides, decreased HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels. Metabolic syndrome may increase the risk cardiovascular events, because atherosclerosis and hypertension can cause heart attack and stroke. Untreated diabetes leads to vascular complications such as impaired peripheral circulation that finally may lead to leg amputation. It should be noted, however, that obesity and metabolic syndrome can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle. In addition to healthy eating, exercise helps prevent cardiovascular diseases and their complications.

The experiments suggest that what mammalian babies, including humans, eat as newborns and young children may be more important to their metabolic future than exposure to unhealthy nutrition in the womb, the Hopkins researchers say.

Personalized Antiplatelet Treatment Improves PCI Outcome According To Study

According to a research presented at the ESC Congress 2012, individualized antiplatelet treatment has better results than the standard treatment. Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet agent�which, along with aspirin, is part of standard therapy for patients who underwent PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) in order to prevent thrombosis. The aim of the study was to adjust antiplatelet treatment considering patient characteristics, because measurements of platelet aggregation in clopidogrel treated patients indicate that one patient in four is a non-responder to the drug. Multiple studies have demonstrated that non-responsiveness to�clopidogrel is attributed to its hepatic�metabolism and is aggravated by certain factors such as diabetes, body mass index, acute coronary syndrome, ejection fraction and renal failure. It was demonstrated that the association between non-responsiveness to�clopidogrel and short-term adverse effects, particularly with stent thrombosis.

Dr Siller-Matula, first author of the study, pointed out that since antihypertensive treatment is adjusted according to blood pressure and antidislipidemic�treatment is corrected according to the level of blood cholesterol, then the antiplatelet therapy should be adjusted according to platelet inhibition. In the MADONNA (Multiple electrode Aggregometry�Dual antiplatelet therapy in Patients Receiving Treatment with Novel platelet guide tO Antagonists) study were investigated 798 patients. Researchers analyzed the patient’s level of platelet inhibition using� a�technique called multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA). This technique shows whether or not patients are resistant to standard antiplatelet therapy. Dr Siller-Matula, first author of the study, said that this is a very quick blood test that classify patients into responders and non-responders. In addition, she added, that individualized antiplatelet therapy may reduce the costs of drug therapy because it avoids the use of�new generation of antiplatelet agents such as prasugrel�or ticagrelor.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Patients included into MADONNA study were divided into two groups: the guided group and the non-guided group. In the guided group (n=403), clopidogrel non-responders patients (26%) received up to four loading doses of clopidogrel�or prasugrel, the most potent�platelet inhibitor available. In the non-guided group (n=395), clopidogrel non-responders (25%) received standard antiplatelet treatment based on clopidogrel and aspirin.

Study results showed that patients from�non-guided group presented an 8 time higher risk to develop stent thrombosis compared with patients from guided group (1.9% versus 0.2%). In addition, in the guided group, there were no patients with acute coronary syndrome, while in the non-guided group, this complication occurred in 2.5% of patients. There were no differences between the two groups in the rates of cardiac death or major bleeding.

Antiplatelet therapy is used in patients who underwent PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention). PCI involves implanting a stent in a coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart. PCI is a procedure that is�applied especially to�patients with STEMI, ST-elevation myocardial infarction. One of the most common complications of PCI is stent thrombosis. Therefore, after this intervention, the patient must follow antiplatelet therapy to prevent stent thrombosis, which consists of aspirin and clopidogrel. But some patients do not respond to standard treatment and for this reason antiplatelet therapy should be personalized according to platelet inhibition.

Introducing clopidogrel testing into clinical practice might be feasible: it involves a blood sample and takes ten minutes to get a result. Providing individualized treatment based on the results of MEA instead of using novel antiplatelet drugs in each patient would save costs of drug therapy of about €410 per patient each year. As individualized antiplatelet therapy seems to be cost-effective, it might be of interest to health authorities.�, said Dr Siller-Matula, first author of the study.

Antifungal Drug Found Effective Against Tumor Growth

A new discovery could help treat cancer. It seems that thiabendazole, a drug used as antifungal, can inhibit the growth of tumors. Researchers at the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin, could demonstrate that thiabendazole destroys blood vessels that form in the tumor and therefore inhibit tumor growth. Thiabendazole�is an FDA-approved drug for treating parasites (roundworm Infections), such as those caused by Enterobius�vermicularis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Strongyloides�stercoralis�or Toxocara canis.

Tumor Blood Vessels

Now, according to a research published in the journal PLoS�Biology, researchers at The University of Texas found that this drug is effective in stopping tumor growth. Researchers made this discovery during studies�regarding the�link between yeast and vertebrates (frogs, mice and Humans). Edward Marcotte, professor of chemistry, said this finding was made by chance because they made the discovery while studying yeast genes. Researchers found that yeast genes�responsable for�response to various stresses to the cell have an�equivalent in genes responsible for angiogenesis in vertebrates. Therefore they�have thought that a drug that inhibits the yeast genes could also inhibit� genes for angiogenesis. The results were positive and researchers continued their studies on frog embrios. Then they tested the drug on human blood vessel cells in the laboratory. The results were, again,�promising.

Marcotte�added that thiabendazole�is the first vascular disrupting agent and can be used in the future in combination with chemotherapy to treat cancer. Thiabendazole�stops the formation of new blood vessels that form in the tumor. By inhibiting vascularization, this drug inhibits tumor growth. Finally, the therapeutic potential of this drug has been shown through experiments on mice. In this way�researchers could prove that thiabendazole�decreases fibrosarcomas�growth�by more than half. Fibrosarcoma�is a malignant tumor derived from connective tissue. This type of tumor cells have a specific arrangement, called herringbone pattern and a rich vascularity.

Now, researchers hope that thiabendazole� will be tested in clinical trials on humans. Marcotte said that this drug is already approved by the FDA for human use and that this should make things easier for its use in clinical trials. It should be mentioned that angiogenesis is already a target in cancer therapy. Angiogenesis inhibitors such as bevacizumab�(Avstin), are used to treat several types of cancer: colorectal, ovarian, lung, kidney and glioblastoma. Bevacizumab�is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor.