Scutellaria barbata extract for the treatment of cancer

Abstract

An extract of Scutellaria barbata D. Don is effective in the arrest of cancer cell growth in the G1 phase, the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells and the shrinking of solid cancers. The extract may be prepared as a pharmaceutical composition for administration to mammals for the treatment of solid cancers, such as epithelial cancers. Such epithelial cancers include breast cancer and ovarian cancers. The extract is obtained from Scutellaria barbata D. Don by contacting aerial portions of a plant from the species Scutellaria barbata D. Don with an aqueous or alcoholic solvent.

1 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an aqueous extract of  Scutellaria barbata  and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient. 
   
   
       2 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the extract of  Scutellaria barbata  reduces the activity of at least one cancer cell line in vitro. 
   
   
       3 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 2 , wherein the cancer cell line inhibited by the extract is selected from a SKBR3 cell, a MCF7 cell, a MDA-MB231 cell, a BT474 cell or a MCNeuA cell (breast cancer cells), A549 cell, LLC cell (Lung Cancer cells), Panel cells, Panc02 cells (Pancreatic cancer cells), PC-3 cells LNCaP cells (Prostate Cancer cells), OVCAR cells, and SKOV3 cells (Ovarian Cancer cells). 
   
   
       4 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 3 , wherein the extract of  Scutellaria barbata  induces apoptosis in at least one cancer cell line. 
   
   
       5 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 4 , wherein the cancer cell line in which apoptosis is induced by the extract is selected from a SKBR3 cell, a MCF7 cell, a MDA-MB231 cell, a BT474 cell, a MCNeuA cell (breast cancer cells), A549 cell, LLC cell (Lung Cancer cells), Panel cells, Panc02 cells (Pancreatic cancer cells), PC-3 cells LNCaP cells (Prostate Cancer cells), OVCAR cells, and SKOV3 cells (Ovarian Cancer cells). 
   
   
       6 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 1 , wherein the extract of  Scutellaria barbata  induces cell growth arrest in the G1 state in vitro. 
   
   
       7 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 6 , wherein the cancer cell line in which cell growth arrest in the G1 state is selected from the group consisting of a SKBR3 cell, a MCF7 cell, a MDA-MB231 cell, a BT474 cell or a MCNeuA cell (breast cancer cells), A549 cell, LLC cell (Lung Cancer cells), Panel cells, Panc02 cells (Pancreatic cancer cells), PC-3 cells LNCaP cells (Prostate Cancer cells), OVCAR cells, and SKOV3 cells (Ovarian Cancer cells). 
   
   
       8 - 33 . (canceled) 
   
   
       34 . A method of treating breast cancer in a patient, comprising daily administering to the patient a water extract of aerial parts of  Scutellaria barbata  D. Don, wherein the patient has previously undergone at least one prior therapy for metastatic disease. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the patient is not currently receiving any other chemotherapy, hormone therapy or herbal medicine during treatment with the extract. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the patient has received, prior to receiving the extract, at least one chemotherapeutic agent selected from anastrozole, capecitabine, carboplatin, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, docetaxel, doxorubicin, etoposide, exemestane, fluorouracil, fulvestrant, gemcitabine, goserelin, letrazole, leucovorin, liposomal, methotrexate, mitoxantrone, paclitaxel, tamoxifen, targretin, toremifene, traztuzamab, vinorelbine, or zoledronic acid. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the patient has received, prior to receiving the extract, at least one therapy selected from anastrozole, vinorelbine, capecitabine, mitoxantrone, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin; capecitabine; carboplatin and docetaxel; carboplatin and etoposide; carboplatin and paclitaxel; cisplatin; cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, fluorouracil; cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil; docetaxel; docetaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide; docetaxel; doxorubicin; doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide; exemestane; fulvestrant; gemcitabine; goserelin; letrazole; liposomal doxorubicin; liposomal doxorubicin and paclitaxel; liposomal doxorubicin and gemcitabine; mitoxantrone, 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin; paclitaxel; tamoxifen; targretin and docetaxel; toremifene; traztuzamab; vinorelbine; vinorelbine and capecitabine; and zoledronic acid. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the extract consists of about 12 g of soluble material extracted from raw  Scutellaria barbata  D. Don in about 350 mL of water. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the extract is administered to the patient in two doses per day. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the breast cancer is advanced breast cancer. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the breast cancer is metastatic breast cancer. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the extract is provided in a sealed packet.