Odisha: ILS scientists claim neem leaves have power to heal breast cancer

BHUBANESWAR: A team of Odia scientists at Bhubaneswar-based Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) have claimed that neem leaves have the characteristics to cure breast cancer.

According to Dr Sanjeeb Sahu, the leader of the team, it has been found from their research that neem leaves have phytochemicals named ‘Nimbolide’ which is effective enough in curing breast cancer. Moreover, Nimbolide is also seen destroying other dangerous cancer cells in the human body. The research by the team of scientists from ILS in this regard has been recently published in the international scientific research magazine- Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids.

As per the research, Nimbolide has the capacity to completely cure the most dangerous triple-negative breast cancer. It has already been experimented successfully on mice and zebrafish as specimens.

Dr Sahu informed that though the anti-cancer capacity of Nimbolide was earlier known, it could not be used as it was not mixing with human blood. However, it can be effectively used now due to the application of Nanotechnology by ILS Bhubaneswar.

“We have used nanomedicine in cancerous human breast cells successfully. Then to test its efficacy, we have created two pre-clinical models. We have created tumours by injecting chemicals into mice and zebra fishes and cured those by using Nimbolide molecules,” said Sahu.

Currently, cancer is treated by using Chemotherapy. However, along with the cancer cells, many other cells in the body are damaged by this method of treatment. However, ILS scientists have found from their research that Nimbolide is only destroying cancerous cells in the body. Moreover, along with curing breast cancer, Nimbolide is proving effective against the cells of the fatal disease in other parts of the body as well.

The ILS scientists have intensified their research about the effectiveness of Nimbolide in the human body to target cancer cells. If it becomes successful, breast cancer medicine will be developed from neem leaves in the near future.

“Chemotherapy can’t recognise which are cancer cells and which are normal cells of the human body. However, the beauty of the Nimbolide molecule is it kills only cancer cells and it doesn’t have any toxic effect on normal cells. We are taking a nano-medicinal approach,” said Sahu.

“From the complete study, we have found that Nimbolide has a potent antitumor effect. At the same time it is also showing an anti-metastatic effect,” said Priyanka Mohapatra, a PhD scholar of ILS Bhubaneswar.