HEALTH NEWS

Study Title:

Effects of the coral calcium as an inhibitory substance against colon cancer lung metastasis

Study Abstract

Growth rates of mouse Colon 26 cancer cells were observed in acidic culture media and weak alkaline culture media. Coral Calcium exhibited an inhibitory effect on the growth of cancer cells in weak alkaline (pH 7.5) culture medium (in vitro). In addition, the effect of Coral Calcium concentration against Colon 26 cancer cells was investigated using calcium carbonate as a control. The growth of the cancer cells tended to be inhibited at a greater concentration of Coral Calcium, in vitro.

In vivo study, the effects of Coral Calcium and calcium carbonate (control) against the Colon 26 cancer cells were compared using mice. The activity of the NK cells and the number of macrophages in the group to which Coral Calcium was administered were greater than those in the group to which calcium carbonate was administered.

Furthermore, in a vivo study, the effects of Coral Calcium concentrations were investigated. Colon 26 cancer cells were inoculated into mice, followed by an investigation of the prophylactic effects (i.e., as a cancer-inhibitory substance) of Coral Calcium against the metastasis of Colon 26 cancer cells in the lungs. The greater the dose of Coral Calcium, the greater the activity of NK cells and the number of macrophages increased. The metastasis of the cancer cells in the lungs was significantly inhibited at a higher dose of Coral Calcium. Coral Calcium exerted an inhibitory effect on the metastases of the cancer cells to the lungs by activating natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages, thus resulting in preventing the proliferation of cancer cells.

Study Information

Yuji Hirota, Ph.D., et al.
Effects of the coral calcium as an inhibitory substance against colon cancer and its metastasis in the lungs
Nutrition Research
2000 November
Medical Preventive Group Laboratory, MPG Co., Ltd. 2-41-18 Sumida, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, Japan.