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UNAIR NEWS – Eighty percent of liver cancer cases in the world are in developing countries such as Central Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia, including in Indonesia. Liver cancer is a disease with uncontrolled growth of malignant cells in the liver resulting from abnormal cells in the liver (primary) or the spread of cancer from other parts of the body (secondary). In the world of cancer treatment, surgery and chemotherapy are still the main therapeutic methods in addition to prevention methods such as Hepatitis B immunization.

According to Prof. Win Darmanto, M.Si., Ph.D, a lecturer of  and his research partner Dr. Suhailah Hayaza, Ph.D, therapeutic drugs have several side effects hemopoietic suppression, limited efficacy, immunotoxicity and drug resistance. This condition then led to the development of new treatment strategies that are non-toxic with a high level of efficacy to treat cancer, which is by controlling the immune system.

“Immunotherapy being developed is the use of herbal plants as an effort to regulate the immune system’s performance of cancer patients,” he said.

According to him, one of the plants with content that functions as an immunomodulator is the Okra plant. Okra plant or Okra Raw Polysaccharide Extract (ORPE) has the ability to activate the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-кB) from normal cells.

“Activation of NF-кB can increase transcription of genes associated with the production of cytokines needed to activate immune cells, both innate and adaptive immune cells,” he said.

Administration of ORPE showed an immunosuppressant effect on macrophages. The higher the dose of the extract given, the lower the percentage of macrophages. Treg cells are part of the CD4+ T-helper cells whose function is to suppress the immune response and maintain self-tolerance. Decreasing Treg cells is one of the keys to successful cancer treatment.

“The function of ORPE as an immunostimulant is shown in its ability to increase the activation of Natural Killer cells (NK cells). NK cells are part of the innate immune system that can induce tumor cell death,” he explained.

The increase in the number of NK cells after ORPE administration, he continued, is expected to increase the death of cancer cells. The dual functions or dual role of ORPE as an immunostimulant or immunosuppressant is a favorable condition and is rarely found in other herbal plants.

Therefore, this discovery can be a good foundation for the development of a nutraceutical that all groups can consume to improve the survival of liver cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Author: Khefti Al Mawalia

Source:

Suhailah Hayaza, Sri Puji Astuti Wahyuningsih, Raden Joko Kuncoroningrat Susilo, Saikhu Akhmad Husen, Dwi Winarni, Ruey-An Doong, Win Darmanto. 2021. Dual role of immunomodulation by crude polysaccharide from okra against carcinogenic liver injury in mice. National Library of Medicine.

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