Honokiol, inhibiting the growth of schwannoma cells, anyone know about this?

[LisaM]

Saw this posted on another AN site.  Honokiol is found in the bark, leaves and cones of magnolia trees and apparently they are doing a study of it in Korea and its use for inhibiting the growth of schwannoma cells and for treatment of ANs aka VS.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22057812

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honokiol

[LisaM]

Here's something else on the subject of Honokiol:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-honokiol.htm

[PaulW]

Dr Lee, did a presentation in Las Vegas in 2010, along with John Adler (Stanford) and Derald Brackmann (House)

Neurofibromatosis type 2: the state of the art.

http://www.ctf.org/For-Scientists/meeting-agenda.html

Does anybody have access to this document?

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajmg.a.34359/abstract

Honokiol maybe part of the accelerated trials

[PaulW]

Honokiol being studied at UCSF University of California San Francisco

http://neurosurgery.ucsf.edu/index.php/about_us_faculty_parsa.html

also this

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/51532278_The_molecular_biology_and_novel_treatments_of_vestibular_schwannomas

and this

Patent Application for Honokiol

Honokiol analogs and their use in treating cancers

http://ip.com/pdf/patapp/US20100322991.pdf

[leapyrtwins]

Never heard of this.

Interesting . . .

Jan

[LisaM]

Last June, I spoke with Dr. Slattery at HEI about the drug therapy trials for ANs.  He explained to me that the trials were only for NF2 patients and it would be at least several years before any conclusive data would be available regarding only NF2 patients.  If I recall correctly, the Drs. will administer whatever drug it is they are studying for a specified time and then eventually surgically remove the tumor to see if the drug is present in the tumor. 

PaulW are you a medical professional? 

[ppearl214]

Remember folks..... although Hankiol is being looked at, at this time, this is not a recommended choice of treatment for AN's.  Further medical research needs to be done.

Phyl

[LisaM]

Just to be clear... I have no idea if what they are studying at HEI even includes Honokiol.  Being in wait and watch I am hopeful for a drug therapy and I'm just trying to stay on top of whatever is out there.  Honokiol sounds promising but it is too early to tell.  However I do see that patents have been filled on it  -- that ain't cheap!  That must mean something...

[ppearl214]

Lisa

As many of us hope at the time of our diagnosis...... at this time, there is no drug therapy in the treatment of AN's.  Yes, this and that has been brought up, being looked at, etc.... but as of now, it just doesn't exist.  Would be terrific if medical science were to discover a confirmed treatment option in the form of drug therapy but as of now, it just isn't there. Maybe in our lifetimes.... one can hope.

Medical marvels have come a LONG way in the past 10-20-30-40 years.... many of us are walking proof of it (myself included).  My sister died of a malignant brain tumor in 1969.  Cyberknife didn't exist then although GammaKnife did (as well as other options).  Then, a 2nd sibling (ie: me) was diagnosed with an AN.  I looked at what was available and how far medical marvels have come since my sister's situation and 1969 and here I am.... with an AN that has been deemed a "done deal" by many on my team.

So, my hope is that drug therapies also come into play soon...... and that our options for treatment choices expand sooner than later.  We've come far.... but have far to go as well.

Sorry, I had coffee this am.
Phyl

[LisaM]

Phyl...

I too am amazed by the advances in medicine.  The AN is a second brain tumor for me.  Lucky for me the first, a prolactinoma (a pituitary tumor) was treated with drug therapy.  Before drug therapy arrived prolactinomas were treated with surgery that was done through the soft palate in the upper mouth... another very risky surgery.  I'm just hoping for a medical breakthrough and I'm excited with the news on Honokiol.  It gives me optimism about a drug therapy.  However, it is a comfort to know that CK and surgery are out there and that both procedures have come a long way with terrific outcomes.  My next MRI is in January.  Fingers crossed the tumor is stable so I can continue to wait and watch.

And... I will add that having this forum at our fingertips in this year of 2011 about to be 2012 to exchange information is extraordinary!

Lisa M

[PaulW]

The following is my personal opinion only, and may not be accurate...
So please accept below as my current personal view only, and please do more research.

It has only been in recent times that the active ingredient of Honokiol has been extracted.
This is now leading to advancements in the use of this substance for research.
It was impossible to do accurate studies without a pure form of Honokiol.
So isolating the active ingredient has lead to the increased testing in the labs of this substance.

My understanding of Dr Lee's study is that it was purely a laboratory test.
Stick some Honokiol on a petri dish with some NF-2 Cells supplied by House Ear Institute and see what it does.
The tests were promising...

I can think of a number of natural organic substances that have been used for centuries that can do the same thing.

One substance, that I have used myself, has been used as an anaesthetic, cures tooth ache, stops wound infections, and it has probably saved hundreds of  thousands of lives over the centuries by being applied to wounds.

Scotch Whisky.... If you stick it in a Petri dish it will kill just about any cell.
It has been proven that scotch does cross the Blood Brain Barrier, so it could be theraputic for AN's....
Hmmmmm.. i have tried this cure a couple of times and it didn't work and had horrible side effects in the morning... Admittidly I have never tried it long term. In short I don't recommend it.

Some other Natural substances with theraputic properties are Cocaine, Opium, Hallucenogenic mushrooms and Marijuana.

I hope you get my point, just because it is natural or a herb does not mean it is not dangerous.

Which is why if we go back to the Patent document it talks about Honokiol Analogues.

This is about modifying part of the molecule so that it still has the theraputic effect but misses out on potential side effects

So now that Honokiol has passed the petri dish test, it will move on to mice, and eventually humans if it gets past mice.

We have a long way to go before this makes it out of the labs, and I don't think we have a clear understanding of the side effects of this substance when used for long lengths of time, or at potentially high doses.

Traditionally I believe honokiol was used as an infusion (Tea), or ground up and applied to wounds.
To take Honokiol in any way that differs from how it was used tradtionally you are at far greater risk of something going horribly wrong.

South American Indians chewed on Coca leaves for medicinal purposes.
Western Society took it to the extreme by purifying it and now it goes up peoples noses with a straw.
We did the same with Opium, turning it into heroin and sticking it in our veins.

Honokiol is one of many promising substances emerging as a potential drug therapy for AN's.
The side effects from long term use may still mean that radiation or surgery are best for sporadic AN's

In NF2 where more nerves are affected especially the spine and a reduced life expectancy.
Side effects of drug therapies becomes less of an issue.
NF2 patients will be the first to try these drugs as they will be potentially life saving.
Avastin is a drug that has been proven to reduce AN's however the side effects are horrible, and long term use not really advisable.

For us with Sporadic AN, we already have a cure, surgery or radiation, those with NF2 are not so lucky.

Now where is my glass of scotch..... Only kidding....

 

[ppearl214]

For us with Sporadic AN, we already have a cure, surgery or radiation, those with NF2 are not so lucky

Paul

thanks for prefacing this by noting this is your personal opinion only as it is important for folks to note this... and truly appreciate what you have shared. While NF2 can be its own separate "animal" based on the genetics of NF2, agree that it is more difficult a situation.  At this past summer's ANA symposium, Dr. Elizabeth Claus from Brigham/Woman's Boston (also member of the ANA Medical Advisory Board) announced to all a new study will be done within the next 5 years looking at the genetics of AN's and here's hoping the research that she and her team does will help provide more guidance into what it is that insists on growing in our heads.

Lisa, sorry to hear you have had a rough ride as well.  I'm thrilled that your first treatment helped and again, we can only hope that drug therapies will develop sooner than later for the treatment of AN's..... but trust me, if one does sprout and is formally announced (ie; FDA, ANA, etc), these forums will be a-buzz with it. You can count on it!

Phyl

[LisaM]

Thought I'd share some more info on Honokiol...  It apparently is a great supplement to take for radiation as it promotes healthy cell growth to protect healthy cells during radiation.

Here's a link to a company that makes a pretty pure product:

http://honokiolextract.com/