Accused for decades of causing cancer, tobacco leaves may be an answer as a cancer cure.
A group of scientists from India and Malaysia, including Amit Dubey from Allahabad University (AU) and Aisha Tufail, a research scholar from AU's Biochemistry department, assert that they have discovered a potential treatment for various types of cancer using a single anti-cancer compound derived from tobacco leaves.
According to the researchers, the organic compound known as 4-[3-Hydroxyanilino]-6,7-Dimethoxyquinazoline exhibits remarkable anti-cancer properties and could serve as a promising candidate for future clinical trials and experiments aimed at treating cancers such as lung, pancreatic, bone marrow, and blood cancers.
Dubey emphasized the urgent need for new anti-cancer drugs that are non-toxic or have low toxicity, as the current chemotherapy medications pose significant health risks. The objective of drug research and discovery, he explained, is to find novel chemicals that can effectively kill tumor cells and impede their growth while minimizing harm to the patient.
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays a crucial role in the proliferation, survival, adhesion, migration, and differentiation of cancer cells. Dubey stated that EGFR is present in the cell walls of tumor cells, and their survival and development depend on this protein.
Dubey highlighted a significant aspect of the compound, stating that it is devoid of any side effects, making it even more promising as a potential treatment option.