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Non toxic remedy for cancer

there may now be a non-toxic cancer remedy in place. It is the only one, claim scientists of the Kolkata-based Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. According to them, methylglyoxal in combination with ascorbic acid has been found to have significant curative effects on cancer patients.

The study published in the website of the journal Cancer Therapy earlier this year says that 39 per cent patients had complete remission and 39 per cent had partial regression of the disease, after they were given the combination.

"Methylglyoxal is non-toxic as it does not affect the normal cells. At present, none of the anti-cancer drugs that are being used has effect, specifically against cancerous cells,' says Manju Ray who led the team of scientists.

An ideal anti-cancer drug should either kill cancerous cells or totally arrest their growth. This effect must be specific, so that normal cells are not affected.It is only then that an anticancer drug can be effective to treat cancer patients without any side effects.

Methylglyoxal inhibits the two enzymes glyceraldelyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and mitochondrial complex i of specifically malignant cells. It is due to the catalytic activities of these two enzymes that nearly 85 per cent of the cellular adenocine triphosphate, the source of cellular energy, is generated. The inhibitory effect of methylglyoxal on the enzymes of malignant cells is that it depletes their energy pool rendering these cells non-viable. In contrast, methylglyoxal has no inhibitory effect on enzymes of normal cells.

The cost of the treatment hasn't been fxed but Ray says it will be within the reach of common people.

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