The drug fenbendazole, commonly used as an ingredient in dog wormers, has been found to suppress cancer cells in petri dishes and mice. It works by inhibiting the growth of microtubules, which give shape to all cells.
Joe Tippens, a US comedian, claimed fenbendazole and other drugs could cure his lung cancer in 2016. But turning research into a cancer treatment is a long journey.
It kills parasites
Many people have heard about a dog deworming medicine called fenbendazole for humans which recently gained popularity on social media. It was promoted by a man named Joe Tippens who claimed that his cancer went into remission after taking this medication on a veterinarian’s recommendation. However, he did not have sufficient evidence to back up his claims, and there is still no proof that fenbendazole can cure cancer in humans.
The antiparasitic drug fenbendazole is used to treat parasitic infections in animals such as sheep, goats, cattle, horses, dogs, and fish. It also treats gastrointestinal parasites such as hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, pinworms, and giardia. It has also been shown to kill tumors and induce remission in some patients with different types of cancer.
In a recent study, fenbendazole was shown to disrupt microtubules in BoHV-1 productive cells. This resulted in the reduced transcription of IE genes and inhibition of viral DNA replication. Additionally, fenbendazole can induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in 5-fluorouracil-resistant colorectal cancer cells.
It kills cancer cells
In addition to killing parasites, fenbendazole kills cancer cells by disrupting the formation of microtubules. These are a protein scaffold that give cells their shape and structure. Textbook depictions of cells show various organelles floating in amorphous bags of liquid, but in reality, they establish their shape and structure through a network of microtubules. Drugs that interfere with the formation of these proteins are known to inhibit cell growth and cause apoptosis.
In this study, researchers treated two different types of colorectal cancer cells with fenbendazole. They found that the treatment caused reduced glucose uptake in both cancer cells, which is necessary for their survival. They also found that fenbendazole activated necroptosis by targeting the RIP and RIP3 kinases.
The research suggests that fenbendazole could be used as an anti-cancer agent in humans. Developing new drugs requires a lot of time and money, so it is important to identify molecules that show promise early. Repurposing veterinary drugs like fenbendazole is an effective way to reduce the cost of drug development and speed up the time to market.
It is safe
Fenbendazole is a drug originally created to treat parasites in animals. However, research has shown that it can also fight cancer cells. It can disrupt microtubules in the cancer cell, interfere with glucose uptake, and inhibit the synthesis of new proteins. This combination can lead to preferential killing of the cancer cells, which can prevent them from spreading.
This benzimidazole can be absorbed from the stomach, and has minimal side effects in humans. It can be taken in tablet form or liquid suspension and is available without a prescription at many retail establishments. It is recommended to take it with food to reduce gastrointestinal irritation.
Joe Tippens claimed that fenbendazole and other supplements helped him cure his cancer. However, it is important to remember that he was in a clinical trial when he took this medication, so it is impossible to attribute his remission to fenbendazole alone. In addition, he was receiving conventional cancer treatments at the time of his remission.
It is effective
Fenbendazole is a drug that has been used for years to treat parasitic diseases in animals. It is a type of benzimidazole and interacts with a specific location on the tubulin protein. This inhibits microtubule activity and prevents the separation of chromosomes during cell division. This explains how it kills parasites and some cancer cells.
It is also possible that fenbendazole could inhibit recurrent cancer, but it has not been shown to do so in animal studies. It is unlikely to cure cancer on its own, as there are several established treatments for different types of tumors. For example, if someone has small-cell lung cancer, chemotherapy is the best option for them.
However, Tippens’ anecdotal story isn’t credible and there isn’t sufficient evidence that fenbendazole can cure cancer. This is because his story does not include a control group, and other factors could have contributed to his remission, such as conventional cancer treatment. A randomized trial would need to be conducted first.