Scientists synthesize natural compound effective against cancer

US scientists were the first to synthesize a natural compound, curcusone D, which can suppress the activity of a tumor protein that makes many cancers intractable. The results of the new study were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

According to a press release on Phys.org, the chemical compounds related to curcusones are derived from the Jatropha curcas shrub. Scientists know the anti-cancer properties of curcusones A, B, C and D, which in a new work tested on breast cancer cells.

It turned out that curcuson D effectively suppresses the activity of the oncoprotein BRAT1, which restores the DNA of cancer cells, increasing the survival of malignant tissues.

Researchers have long been looking for ways to damage genomes and thus kill cancer cells to stop tumor growth and prevent the formation of metastases. Some drugs are capable of inhibiting the migration of tumor cells to other tissues and organs; however, no compounds that inhibit BRAT1 have been known so far.

The researchers also found that combination therapy with DNA damaging drugs combined with curcusone D was even more effective than either compound alone.