Monolaurin (glyceryl monolaurate) as a potential antitumor agent.(Report)

Introduction

The current use of drugs to control or eradicate cancer has exposed a number of limitations. Chemotherapeutic approaches exploited thus far to eradicate malignant cells are limited by their toxicity, lack of cellular specificity and lowering our innate immune system. Therefore, new nontoxic compounds displaying specific killing of neo-plastic cells without major side effects need to be identified.

Hence, the Identification of new apoptosis-inducing or cytotoxic agents specifically targeting malignant cells while sparing their normal counterparts, is a crucial need. A group of chemicals that may fulfill this new paradigm are lipids. That lipids (fats) have effects above and beyond their caloric value has been elucidated in three volumes--The Pharmacological effects of Lipids American Oil Chemist Society. (1), (2), (3)

Monoglycerides, a special family of lipids consisting of a single saturated or unsaturated fatty acid moiety bound to a glycerol backbone, were discovered (circa 1966) to have wide spread biological activity (antimicrobial) without toxicity. (4) Little interest, however, has been shown in discovering other pharmacological properties of these lipids. Since a lack of toxicity and biological activity are remarkable to find in a chemical agent, the question of direct effects on normal cells and tumor cells is of great interest.

A study using Ehrlich ascites by Kato, et al, (5), (6) first reported an apparent antitumor activity for monoglycerides in vivo without damage to the animal host. Confirmation of the above observation was noted from lipids (fatty acids and monoglycerides) extracted from group A hemolytic streptococci. (7) These lipids were also examined for their antitumor effect against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma and found active.

These early studies gave us information primarily on the effects of monolaurin (glycerol monolaurate) on animal malignant cells (Ehrlich carcinoma). Two more recent reports (8), (9) showed monoglycerides (C12:0, C18:1) induced cell death in several human cell lines.

The objective of the current research report was to test monolaurin against five normal and five human cancer cell lines. The inhibition of growth by the monoglyceride was recorded.

Study Design

To determine whether other cell types would …