Publications on Pao Pereira
Interested in a specific ingredient perfected by Dr. Beljanski? For your convenience we have selected on one page all the scientific publications published by Dr. Beljanski on this specific ingredient, as well as the research papers resulting from the Beljanski Foundation’s partnerships. The goal of the Foundation is to share this knowledge and increase awareness about scientific research conducted on natural compounds. If you care about providing scientifically researched alternatives to chemical drugs, please support the Beljanski Foundation’s research program.
Pancreatic cancers are enriched with cancer stem-like cells (CSCs), which are resistant to chemotherapies, and responsible for tumor metastasis and recurrence. We investigated the extract of a medicinal plant Pao pereira for its activity against pancreatic CSCs. Pao inhibited overall proliferation of human pancreatic cancer cell lines and had limited cytotoxicity to normal epithelial cells. In several assays pancreatic CSC population was significantly reduced. In vivo, the Pao extract significantly reduced tumorigenicity of PANC-1 cells. Further investigation is warranted in using Pao as a novel treatment targeting pancreatic CSCs.
Cancer stem cells are a type of stem cell specific to cancer, that is able to reproduce through self-renewal and regeneration into new tumor cells. Cancer stem cells are thought to survive chemotherapy treatments and provide the basis for tumor regrowth. It is critical to find treatments for cancer stem cells to prevent this disease from resurfacing in a person again and again. Research conducted at Kansas University Medical Center concluded that both the Pao pereira (Pau pereira) and Rauwolfia vomitoria extracts inhibited the proliferation of multiple human ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro.
Research conducted at the University of Kansas Medical Center on the effect of the plant extracts on ovarian cancer concludes that “In vivo, Pao pereira (Pau pereira) alone suppressed tumor growth by 79% and decreased volume of ascites by 55%. When Pao pereira (Pau pereira) was combined with carboplatin, tumor inhibition reached 97% and ascites was completely eradicated.” Pao pereira (Pau pereira) possesses potent antitumor activity and works in synergy with chemotherapy.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common forms of chronic inflammation in the urinary system of older men. We investigated the therapeutic potential of Pao Pereira extract against BPH development in a testosterone-induced BPH rat model. The administration of testosterone induced the prostate enlargement and either Pao extract or finasteride was evaluated for potential to resolve the BPH condition. Results showed that prostate weights were dramatically reduced in both the Pao and finasteride groups. Notably, Pao treatment did not significantly reduce sperm numbers which is a well-known side effect of finasteride. Pao extract was found to suppress testosterone-induced BPH development by inhibiting androgen receptor expression and activity and by reducing expression of 5α-reductase and Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). Pao Pereira extract may be a promising and relatively safe agent for BPH.
Pao pereira extract induced dose-dependent apoptosis in all tested pancreatic cancer cell lines. The combination of Pao extract and Gemcitabine had a synergistic effect in the inhibition of cancer cell growth. Mice with pancreatic tumors were treated with Pao extract and Gemcitabine, either alone or in combination. While Gemcitabine did not provide significant inhibition, Pao treatment significantly suppressed tumor growth by 70-72%, and by 78% when combined with Gemcitabine.
Mirko Beljanski's publications
As he was developing his extracts Dr. Mirko Beljanski referred to Pao Pereira as PB100, Rauwolfia Vomitoria as BG-8, Gingko Biloba as Bioparyl and RNA fragments as R.L.B.
ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH: The plant-derived anticancer agent PB-100 (Beljanski® Pao extract) selectively destroys cancer cells, even when multidrug resistant; yet, it does not inhibit normal (non-malignant) cell multiplication. Testing of PB-100 on sixteen cell lines, several multidrug resistant, as well as on five normal cell lines, confirmed our previous results. Flavopereirine and dihydroflavopereirine, the active principles of PB-100, were chemically synthesized and displayed the same selectivity for tumor cells as the purified plant extract, being active at even lower concentrations. List of cell lines tested: brain (4), ovary (2), breast (2), prostate thyroid (2), colon (2), pancreatic, hepatic, kidney, skin, liver
ABSTRACT: We investigated in vitro the effect of six different substances present in the brain on two human cell lines: U251-BCNU-resistant glioblastoma cells, derived from a highly malignant cerebral tumor, and, as their normal counterparts, CRL 1656 astrocytes. The cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 (alone or together with IL-6), the catecholamine neuromediators dopamine and epinephrine, the steroid hormones progesterone and testosterone all significantly stimulated multiplication of the glioblastoma cells, but enhanced to a much lesses extent multiplication of normal astrocytes. The selective anticancer agent PB-100* inhibited these stimulatory effects. In addition, it could dose-dependently kill over 98% of the malignant cells while not affecting normal cells.
ABSTRACT: Selectivity of the anticancer agent PB-100 for malignant cells, already demonstrated using cell growth and viability evaluation, is now confirmed by microscopic observations. PB-100 is easily detected inside cells by its yellow color under visible light and by its blue fluorescence; it may be measured in isolated nuclei using its characteristic UV absorbance. After short treatment of human BCNU-resistant glioblastoma cells (U 251) and normal astrocyte controls (CRL 1656), PB-100 accumulates in the malignant cell nucleus, particularly concentrating in the multiple nucleoli and rapidly inducing glioblastoma cell death, whilst, in contrast, the anticancer agent does not even enter normal cells. We had already shown that PB-100 binds to DNA of cancer cells, but not to that of normal cells. In vitro tests described in this report indicate that PB-100 binds to purine bases, but not to pyrimidines, of various ribopolymers and its binding to purine rich nucleic acid stretches is inferred.
ABSTRACT: The multifunctional cytokine interleukin-6 behaves as a growth factor for various malignancies. It is produced in significant amounts by glioblastoma cells. When exogenous IL-6 is added (pg/ml) to culture medium of human glioblastoma cells and normal (non malignant) astrocytes used as controls, it exerts a dose dependent and differential effect on these two cell lines. Enhancement of cell proliferation is twice as high for glioblastoma cells as for astrocytes. In vitro, the novel anticancer agent PB-100 (mu g/ml) dose dependently inhibits this stimulatory activity. In addition, increasing PB-100 concentrations finally induce death of the malignant cells, yet do not impede multiplication of normal astrocytes. PB-100 does not abolish IL-6 production by cells, but keeps its level down to physiological values. PB-100 should therefore find its place in therapies requiring control of IL-6 production.
ABSTRACT: The multifunctional cytokine interleukin-6 behaves as a growth factor for various malignancies. It is produced in significant amounts by glioblastoma cells. When exogenous IL-6 is added (pg/ml) to culture medium of human glioblastoma cells and normal (non malignant) astrocytes used as controls, it exerts a dose dependent and differential effect on these two cell lines. Enhancement of cell proliferation is twice as high for glioblastoma cells as for astrocytes. In vitro, the novel anticancer agent PB-100 (mu g/ml) dose dependently inhibits this stimulatory activity. In addition, increasing PB-100 concentrations finally induce death of the malignant cells, yet do not impede multiplication of normal astrocytes. PB-100 does not abolish IL-6 production by cells, but keeps its level down to physiological values. PB-100 should therefore find its place in therapies requiring control of IL-6 production.
ABSTRACT: Major drawbacks to present-day cancer chemotherapy are its intrinsic lack of selectivity for tumour cells, resulting in severe damage to normal rapidly dividing cells, and the widespread emergence of drug resistance. Here experimental evidence is presented demonstrating that PB-100, a beta-carboline alkaloid, selectively inhibits in vitro multiplication of human BCNU-resistant glioblastoma cells (U251), but has no effect on normal astrocyte (CRL 1656) multiplication. PB-100 activity is dose-dependent. In the presence of ferritin or CaCl2, which are highly mitogenic for glioblastoma cells, higher doses of the alkaloid are required to inhibit multiplication completely. PB-100 is one of several compounds which were selected for their specific action on cancer DNA and cells, together with lack of activity on normal DNA and cells. Both the selectivity of PB-100 and its ability to overcome drug resistance stem from its effect on cancer DNA secondary structure. This activity is described and discussed, and therapeutic applications are mentioned..
