Re: Research & Technical Areas: Chemical/Bio Defense

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Chemotherapy induced gastrointestinal toxicity in rats: involvement of

mitochondrial DNA, gastrointestinal permeability and cyclooxygenase -2.

http://www.ualberta.ca/~csps/JPPS6(3)/N.Davies/chemotherapy.htm

2007;58(1):43-8.

Wheat grass juice may improve hematological toxicity related to chemotherapy in

breast cancer patients: a pilot study.

Bar-Sela G, Tsalic M, Fried G, Goldberg H.

Division of Oncology, Rambam Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine,

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 31096, Israel.

g.barsela@...

Myelotoxicity induced by chemotherapy may become life-threatening. Neutropenia

may be prevented by granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (GCSF), and epoetin

may prevent anemia, but both cause substantial side effects and increased costs.

According to non-established data, wheat grass juice (WGJ) may prevent

myelotoxicity when applied with chemotherapy. In this prospective matched

control study, 60 patients with breast carcinoma on chemotherapy were enrolled

and assigned to an intervention or control arm. Those in the intervention arm

(A) were given 60 cc of WGJ orally daily during the first three cycles of

chemotherapy, while those in the control arm ( received only regular

supportive therapy. Premature termination of treatment, dose reduction, and

starting GCSF or epoetin were considered as " censoring events. " Response rate to

chemotherapy was calculated in patients with evaluable disease. Analysis of the

results showed that five censoring events occurred in Arm A and 15 in Arm B (P =

0.01). Of the 15 events in Arm B, 11 were related to hematological events. No

reduction in response rate was observed in patients who could be assessed for

response. Side effects related to WGJ were minimal, including worsening of

nausea in six patients, causing cessation of WGJ intake. In conclusion, it was

found that WGJ taken during FAC chemotherapy may reduce myelotoxicity, dose

reductions, and need for GCSF support, without diminishing efficacy of

chemotherapy. These preliminary results need confirmation in a phase III study.

PMID: 17571966 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17571966