One of these new discoveries has prompted The Life Extension Foundation to participate in an investigation to ascertain whether a silymarin concentrate called silibinin is effective in the treatment of prostate cancer. In this article, we present some startling new findings about this herbal extract that is sold in Europe as a prescription drug. Silibinin helped arrest cell growth in the early phase of the cell cycle, known as G1. It is well known that potent flavonoids have an antiproliferative effect on tumor tissue, so this was not surprising. But this is not the end of the story.
Differentiated cells are the mature cells that perform specialized tasks appropriate to the organ.
In this study, silibinin transformed a significant proportion of malignant cells to normal, differentiated prostate cells. Silibinin treatment also resulted in a large decrease in PSA secretion. Silibinin also showed synergy with two common chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin and doxorubicin. By arresting tumor cell division at a vulnerable stage, silibinin can apparently make tumor cells more sensitive to chemotherapy. Thus, there is much to say for the combination of mainstream treatment with potent flavonoids such as silibinin.