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7 February 2005
Rare Amazonian Plant Beats Breast Cancer 
Scientists Deborah Lannigan and Jeffrey Smith at the University of Virginia Health System have discovered that a compound derived from a rare South American plant stops the growth of human breast cancer cells. Lannigan and Smith hope that, after further testing, their discovery could translate into a successful drug for the treatment of breast cancer. Their research is detailed in the journal Cancer Research. The compound, called SL0101, comes from the plant Forsteronia refracta, a member of the dogbane family found in the Amazonian rain forest. The compound works by inhibiting the action of a cancer-linked protein called RSK, which is important for controlling the growth of breast cancer cells. Interestingly, SL0101 does not alter the growth of normal breast cells. "By preventing RSK from working, we completely stopped the growth of breast cancer cells but did not affect the growth of normal breast cells," said Lannigan. For now, Lannigan and Smith are testing the compound in animal models. "The next step is to see if SL0101 will prevent the growth of human tumor cells in mice," said Smith. "We will modify the structure of SL0101, if necessary, to eventually find a compound that can be carried through to human clinical trials. That's the goal. But human trials will likely be years down the road."
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