To enhance that activity, they altered the structure of the ciglitazone molecule, producing OSU-CG12. Using prostate cancer and breast cancer cell lines, they showed that the new Ohio State agent was 10 times better at killing cancer cells than ciglitazone and a second agent, the drug resveratrol, a natural product found in grapes and red wine that has weak anticancer activity and also works through energy restriction.

Furthermore, they showed that the new agent both stops glucose from entering cancer cells and suppresses the cells' ability to metabolize the sugar.

Starved for fuel, the cancer cells begin consuming themselves, a process called autophagy - self eating - accompanied by other biochemical events that lead to the cells' death by a natural process called apoptosis.

Chen and his colleagues continue modifying OSU-CG12 to enhance its efficacy. They also hope to test the agent in other conditions such as cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Source: Ohio State University Medical Center