Topical Solasodine Rhamnosyl Glycosides Derived From the Eggplant Treats Large Skin Cancers: Two Case Reports

Bill E. Cham

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DOI: 10.4236/ijcm.2011.24080                

Abstract

Solasodine rhamnosyl glycosides (BEC) are a new class of antineoplastics that show superior efficacy than many established anticancer drugs as shown by intravenous, intraperitoneal and intralesion administrations. Previous studies have described the efficacy of BEC on nonmelanoma skin cancers by topical application. Two cases are now reported which show that BEC in a cream formulation Curaderm is very effective for the treatment of large nonmelanoma skin cancers that are considered difficult to treat by existing modalities. Moreover, the cosmetic outcomes are very impressive.

Keywords

Nonmelanoma Skin Cancers, Solasodine Rhamnosyl Glycosides, Curaderm, Solamargine, Solasonine

1. Introduction

There is an alarming increase in skin cancer incidence. In the US alone, more than two million people develop over 3.5 million nonmelanoma skin cancers every year. This constitutes a more than 300 percent increase in cancer incidence since 1992 [1].

Nonmelanoma skin cancers, such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), are the most common forms of skin cancer. Though BCCs are rarely life-threatening, they can be disfiguring when not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. SCCs can metastasize (spread) to distant tissues or organs and are potentially terminal.

The incidence of skin cancer is higher than all other cancers combined and is considered by some as an epidemic.

A variety of treatments are available for nonmelanoma skin cancers with good outcomes, especially if the cancers are detected and treated in the early stages of development. However, there are some serious disadvantages with the most common treatments. Some disadvantages of current treatments are:

• margin around cancer may not be free of cancer

• moderately painful

•slow healing

• scarring

•specialized training by health professionals with appropriate facilities

• expensive

• activity restriction after surgery if skin graft or flap is needed

• limited cosmetic results In addition high recurrence rates of treated skin cancers have been reported [2].

The treatment and management of nonmelanoma skin cancers cost the USA health care system more than US$1.4 billion per year and this value is increasing dramatically each year.

There is a need for novel treatments for nonmelanoma skin cancers. It has previously been shown in a large number of studies that the glycoalkaloids solasodine rhamnosyl glycosides (SRGs) induce apoptosis in a wide variety of cancer cells [3-7]. SRGs are present in a diversity of solanaceous plants such as the Devil’s Apple (Solanum linnaeanum) and Eggplant (S. melongena). SRGs display specificity towards cancer cells when compared with normal cells and the unique mode of action has been described [8,9]. Anticancer therapies with SRGs in animals and humans have been used intravenously [10], intraperitoneally [11], intralesionally [12] and topically [13-17]. A constant mixture of SRGs, known as BEC, consisting of solasodine containing triglycosides solasonine (β-solatriose) (33%), solamargine (β-chacotriose) (33%), and di-and monoglycosides (34%), are present in a cream formulation which contains 0.005% BEC (Curaderm). Curaderm is reportedly effective for treating nonmelanoma skin cancers as shown by uncontrolled [13-16] and controlled studies [17]. Here, two cases of large skin cancers treated with the cream formulation Curaderm are reported.

2. Case Reports

2.1. Case Report 1

A 68 year old farmer was referred for consultation because he had a large basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Dermatologists and surgeons had recommended surgical excision and radiotherapy followed by surgical reconstruction with skin grafting. The patient who had this BCC for at least 3 years elected to treat the lesion with the cream formulation Curaderm. The patient exhibited a large lesion, 4 cm × 4 cm × 2 cm, on the right side of his face next to his ear (Figure 1 top row). Histological analysis of a biopsy determined that it was a BCC.

2.2. Case Report 2

A 63 year old retired man had a histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 4 cm in diameter, on his head (Figure 2(a)). This patient who had this SCC for at least 2 years refused other treatments and decided to have Curaderm therapy.

2.3. Materials and Methods

The cream formulation Curaderm is available to patients

           

Figure 1. An extensive protruding (4 cm × 4 cm × 2 cm) BCC with central ulceration and raised curly borders on the right side of his face next to his ear is seen in patient 1 (top row). Treatment with Curaderm resulted in rapid break-down of the tumour and after 2 weeks of treatment the lesion was reduced to about a half of the original size. Minor bleeding had occurred during this treatment period (middle row). After 14 weeks of treatment the lesion was clinically eliminated. Normal skin cells had replaced the tumour and the cosmetic end result was excellent, with no scar tissue formation. Even the hairs had regrown where the tumour was originally (bottom row).

in several countries. Curaderm contains the glycoalkaloids BEC at 0.005% as a topical cream formulation. The cream was applied twice daily (when possible every 12 hrs) under occlusive dressing (micropore paper tape) until the lesion had clinically regressed.

3. Results

Figure 1 top row shows the extent of the BCC just before treatment with Curaderm. The lesion responded rapidly to the treatment. The middle row of Figure 1 shows the appearance of the lesion after 2 weeks of treatment. It can be seen that minor bleeding had occurred during treatment. The bottom row of Figure 1 shows the treated area after 14 weeks of Curaderm therapy. The lesion was eliminated by the treatment and the cosmetic end result was outstanding. Note, there was no scar tissue and the hairs had regrown where the lesion was originally. This patient did not experience side effects during Curaderm therapy other than some bleeding had occurred. There has been no recurrence one year after treatment.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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