MRC PhD student

Level of study: MSc

Title: The role of natural products derived from South African plant species in the modulation of cancer cachectic syndrome.

Cancer-cachexia is a debilitating disorder commonly associated with the uncontrolled wasting of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Patients suffering from pancreatic cancer have the highest incidence rate of cachexia and can loose in excess of 15% of their total body weight. This significant loss of body mass reduces the quality of life of these patients who have already endured the psychological effects of being diagnosed with cancer. In addition, this massive reduction in body weight compromises the efficacy of cancer therapies such as chemo and radio-therapy. Since cancer cachexia is a complicated multi-factorial disorder encompassing several signaling pathways and mediators, a multi-target treatment is necessary. Pharmaceutical medicines which are currently being used in the treatment of cachexia are often too expensive and remain unavailable to many South Africans. Fortunately, research has shown that numerous natural products derived from plant species have exhibited anti-cachectic properties that are worthy of note. Most investigations however, have focused on plant species found in Asia and have ignored the vast diversity of medicinal plant species present here in South Africa. It is therefore the aim of this study to investigate whether traditional South African medical plants modulate the biochemical pathways leading to cancer-related cachexia so as to minimise cachexia in late stage cancers. 
The objectives for this study are as follows:

• To screen selected plant species for anti-cachexia properties by monitoring the level of IL-6 and TNF-α production in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients diagnosed with cancer-cachectic syndrome.
• To quantify the change in cytokine expression by using reverse transcriptase PCR (rt-PCR).
• To identify and isolate active moieties from extracts with anti-cachectic activity using chromatographic techniques such as high performance liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS).

This study will serve as the basis for future in vivo trials which in effect will allow for a natural treatment for cancer-cachexia to be found. This study will also provide insight into the possible use of traditional South African medicinal plants as anti-cachectic agents and add further value to the role of freely available and affordable plants in preventing cancer cachexia.

Supervisors: Prof. V. Sewram, Dr. P.Sommer
Study institution: University of KwaZulu-Natal
MRC Unit: Oncology Research Unit