EBC-46
Encyclopedia
EBC-46 is a natural chemical currently being studied for the treatment of some types of cancer
(mainly limited at this stage to non-metastasised
solid tumours) in both animals and humans. The chemical is found in found in seed of the Blushwood Tree
(Hylandia dockrillii) and several species from the Fontainea
family found locally in the Atherton Tableland
of Queensland
, Australia
. Veterinary trials in animals took place starting in March 2010, and clinical trials in humans are expected to take place in 2011-2012 following promising safety and efficacy results found in the animal studies.
s found the seed of this plant unpalatable due to an inflammatory chemical present in reasonably high concentrations. This was identified as 12-tigloyl-13-(2-methylbutanoyl)-6,7-epoxy-4,5,9,12,13,20-hexahydroxy-1-tiglian-3-one. Ecobiotics has demonstrated use of the same techniques to discover several other anti-cancer drugs derived from Australian native rainforest plants.
regulator, inducing localised inflammation that leads to apoptosis
of tumour cells as well as recruitment of the immune system's neutrophils to cause immune attack of the tumour. In animal models efficacy has been demonstrated against several cancer types including against basal and squamous cell carcinomas, melanoma, and head and neck tumors.
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
(mainly limited at this stage to non-metastasised
Metastasis
Metastasis, or metastatic disease , is the spread of a disease from one organ or part to another non-adjacent organ or part. It was previously thought that only malignant tumor cells and infections have the capacity to metastasize; however, this is being reconsidered due to new research...
solid tumours) in both animals and humans. The chemical is found in found in seed of the Blushwood Tree
Hylandia
Hylandia is a genus of plants under the family Euphorbiaceae....
(Hylandia dockrillii) and several species from the Fontainea
Fontainea
Fontainea is a genus of plants under the family Euphorbiaceae. It comprises 9 species, found from Australia , New Caledonia and Vanuatu , and Papua New Guinea ....
family found locally in the Atherton Tableland
Atherton Tableland
The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It is located west to south-south-west inland from Cairns, well into the tropics, but its elevated position provides a climate suitable for dairy farming. It has an area of around...
of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Veterinary trials in animals took place starting in March 2010, and clinical trials in humans are expected to take place in 2011-2012 following promising safety and efficacy results found in the animal studies.
Discovery
EBC-46 was discovered by the Queensland company Ecobiotics (specifically its drug discovery subsidiary Qbiotics) through an automated screening process of natural products by selecting increasingly purified fractions of plant extracts, based on their ability to produce the desired activity profile. This is then followed by artificial synthesis of the isolated compound to confirm its chemical structure. The initial lead came from discovery that native marsupialMarsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
s found the seed of this plant unpalatable due to an inflammatory chemical present in reasonably high concentrations. This was identified as 12-tigloyl-13-(2-methylbutanoyl)-6,7-epoxy-4,5,9,12,13,20-hexahydroxy-1-tiglian-3-one. Ecobiotics has demonstrated use of the same techniques to discover several other anti-cancer drugs derived from Australian native rainforest plants.
Mechanism of action
EBC-46 is described as a diterpene ester which (along with other related compounds) acts as a protein kinase CProtein kinase C
Protein kinase C also known as PKC is a family of enzymes that are involved in controlling the function of other proteins through the phosphorylation of hydroxyl groups of serine and threonine amino acid residues on these proteins. PKC enzymes in turn are activated by signals such as increases in...
regulator, inducing localised inflammation that leads to apoptosis
Apoptosis
Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death that may occur in multicellular organisms. Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes and death. These changes include blebbing, cell shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation...
of tumour cells as well as recruitment of the immune system's neutrophils to cause immune attack of the tumour. In animal models efficacy has been demonstrated against several cancer types including against basal and squamous cell carcinomas, melanoma, and head and neck tumors.