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Definition: "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance "
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25.01.2012 |
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Animal study: carnosine slows down tumour growth
Carnosine, the dipeptide that the body synthesises from beta-alanine, not only helps muscles cells work harder. Researchers at the University of Leipzig discovered that carnosine also inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
Tumours need blood to grow. Many extra dangerous cancer cells secrete raised concentrations of HER2/neu. This protein forces the body to create new blood vessels so that the tumour is provided with extra blood.
Half of the mice were given an injection nearly every day of a regular salt solution, directly into their gut. This was the control group. The other half were given a carnosine injection a similar number of times. To be more precise: the mice were given a peritoneal injection containing 500 microlitre fluid with 1 mol carnosine, 6 times a week.
In the control group the tumours started to grow after 14 days; in the carnosine group growth didn't start until the 19th day. On day 24, at the end of the treatment period, the tumours in the carnosine mice were about thirty percent smaller than in the control group.
When the researchers examined the tumour cells under the microscope, they saw that the carnosine had reduced the cell division. In test tubes they also noticed that the cancer cells produced less ATP.
"Carnosine should be considered as a potential anticancer agent, especially since it is a naturally occurring substance", the researchers write. "It is now very important to analyse how carnosine inhibits proliferation and whether it may be a useful drug for anticancer therapy in humans."
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