Integrative Nanomedicine: treating Cancer with Nanoscale Natural Products

Abstract

Finding safer and more effective treatments for specific cancers remains a significant challenge for integrative clinicians and researchers worldwide. One emerging strategy is the use of nanostructured forms of drugs, vaccines, traditional animal venoms, herbs, and nutraceutical agents in cancer treatment. The recent discovery of nanoparticles in traditional homeopathic medicines adds another point of convergence between modern nanomedicine and alternative interventional strategies. A way in which homeopathic remedies could initiate anticancer effects includes cell-to-cell signaling actions of both exogenous and endogenous (exosome) nanoparticles. The result can be a cascade of modulatory biological events with antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects. The Banerji Protocols reflect a multigenerational clinical system developed by homeopathic physicians in India who have treated thousands of patients with cancer. A number of homeopathic remedy sources from the Banerji Protocols (eg, Calcarea phosphorica; Carcinosin—tumor-derived breast cancer tissue prepared homeopathically) overlap those already under study in nonhomeopathic nanoparticle and nanovesicle tumor exosome cancer vaccine research. Past research on antineoplastic effects of nano forms of botanical extracts such as Phytolacca, Gelsemium, Hydrastis, Thuja, and Ruta as well as on homeopathic remedy potencies made from the same types of source materials suggests other important overlaps. The replicated finding of silica, silicon, and nano-silica release from agitation of liquids in glassware adds a proven nonspecific activator and amplifier of immunological effects. Taken together, the nanoparticulate research data and the Banerji Protocols for homeopathic remedies in cancer suggest a way forward for generating advances in cancer treatment with natural product–derived nanomedicines.

Nonlinear Response Amplification Mechanisms for Low Doses of Natural Product Nanomedicines: Dynamical Interactions with the Recipient Complex Adaptive System

“…Homeopathic medicines have enjoyed widespread use in treatment of acute and chronic conditions, including infections [15,64,154] and cancers [20,109,172]. During over more than two centuries of real-world use, millions of people in many different countries have reported excellent safety, tolerability, and clinical benefits from these natural product-based nanomedicines [58,154].…”

“…Previous papers have addressed the striking similarities between modern top-down mechanical attrition procedures for making nanoparticles (NPs) [17] and historical homeopathic medicine manufacturing methods and materials [15,[18][19][20][21]. These similarities include mechanically grinding source materials in lactose for hours and repeatedly agitating ethanol-water solutions containing the source Citation: Bell IR, Sarter B, Koithan M, Standish LJ, Banerji P, et al (2013) Nonlinear Response Amplification Mechanisms for Low Doses of Natural Product Nanomedicines: Dynamical Interactions with the Recipient Complex Adaptive System.…”

“…Similarly, their homeopathically-manufactured counterparts, e.g., Ruta graveolens 6C and Calcarea Phosphorica 3X [172], are part of a leading combination anti-cancer protocol for gliomas [108,172]. Homeopathic Calcarea Phosphorica 3X combined with the plant-derived homeopathic medicine Symphytum 200C and another homeopathic medicine is used for osteosarcomas in India [20,108,109,172]. In low potency vs controls, homeopathic Symphytum 6C can also enhance bone formation around experimental titanium implants in rats [177].…”

“…In nanomedicine, some investigators are studying tumor-derived exosomes (nanoscale vesicles) vaccines to treat existing cancers [107]. Notably, some homeopaths in India already use breast cancer tissuederived, homeopathically-prepared nanomedicines in some of their cancer treatment regimens [20,[108][109][110]. For conditions that rely on immune function, this strategy may be particularly useful.…”

5‐Aminolevulinic acid‐Loaded Fullerene Nanoparticles for In Vitro and In Vivo Photodynamic Therapy

“…In recent years, the benefits of small molecule drugs have been significantly enhanced via the nanomedicine approach where the drug molecules are packaged within nanovehicles that keep the drug incirculation for longer periods of time (by preventing renal clearance and non‐specific uptake) and allow increased uptake within the tumors based on EPR (enhanced permeability and retention) effects . Fullerene(C60), the third allotrope of carbon after diamond and graphite, is a nanoscale carbon material with unique photo‐, electro‐chemical, and physical‐properties, however, its inherent hydrophobicity limits use in biology and thus lead to its search in searching water‐soluble fullerene derivatives .…”