Uncaria tomentosa—Adjuvant Treatment for Breast Cancer: Clinical Trial

• Published in: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine Vol. 2012; no. 2012; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Schetinger, Maria Rosa Chitolina, Morsch, Vera Maria, Cruz, Ivana de, Farias, Julia, Flores, Nélia, Dalmora, Sergio L., Gutierres, Jessie, Farias, Iria Luiza Gomes, Santos Araújo, Maria do Carmo, Chiesa, Juarez
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01-01-2012; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: 5-Fluorouracil; Adjuvant therapy; Adjuvants; Antioxidants; Blood; Breast cancer; Cancer therapies; Chemotherapy; Clinical trials; Cyclophosphamide; DNA damage; Doxorubicin; Herbal medicine; Immunology; Invasiveness; Leukopenia; Medical research; Neutropenia; Oxidative stress; Toxicity; Tumors; Uncaria tomentosa; Womens health; Brazil; United States > US
• ISSN: 1741-427X; 1741-4288
• DOI: 10.1155/2012/676984

Breast cancer is the most frequent neoplasm affecting women worldwide. Some of the recommended treatments involve chemotherapy whose toxic effects include leukopenia and neutropenia. This study assessed the effectiveness of Uncaria tomentosa (Ut) in reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy through a randomized clinical trial. Patients with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma—Stage II, who underwent a treatment regimen known as FAC (Fluorouracil, Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide), were divided into two groups: the UtCa received chemotherapy plus 300 mg dry Ut extract per day and the Ca group that only received chemotherapy and served as the control experiment. Blood samples were collected before each one of the six chemotherapy cycles and blood counts, immunological parameters, antioxidant enzymes, and oxidative stress were analyzed. Uncaria tomentosa reduced the neutropenia caused by chemotherapy and was also able to restore cellular DNA damage. We concluded that Ut is an effective adjuvant treatment for breast cancer.