Can Cough Medicine Cure Prostate Cancer?

A recent study showed that noscapine, a well-known ingredient used in cough medicines, effectively inhibited the growth and spread of prostate cancer.

Investigators used a population of immunodeficient mice that had been transfected with human prostate tumors to study the anticancer potential of noscapine, a naturally occurring, and non-addictive derivative of opium. Noscapine was administered orally for 56 days to 10 PC3 human prostate cancer-bearing immunodeficient mice. Ten immunodeficient control mice received only diluent in an identical regimen.

Results published in the December 2008 issue of the journal Anticancer Research revealed a 60% reduction in tumor growth and a 65% decrease in tumor spread in the noscapine group without evidence of toxicity. Metastases occurred less frequently in the treatment than the control group (30% compared to 90%).

"Senior author Dr. Moshe Rogosnitzky, director of research at the MedInsight Research Institute (Telz Stone, Israel) said, "Noscapine is effective without the unpleasant side effects associated with other common prostate cancer treatments. Because noscapine has been used as a cough-suppressant for nearly half a century, it already has an extensive safety record. This preclinical study shows that the dose used to effectively treat prostate cancer in the animal model was also safe.”

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MedInsight Research Institute