Karam Soliman, Ph.D., and Kinfe Redda, Ph.D., professors in the FAMU College of Pharmacy, recently published an article on “The Antiproliferative Effects of Flavonoid MAO Inhibitors on Prostate Cancer Cells,” in Molecules, a scientific journal published by Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI), which could lead to alternative therapies for cancer and depression.
In an earlier study, Redda's research team synthesized a group of flavonoids. These compounds, including the anti-HIV virus, exhibited potent antiviral activities, which proved to be more effective than the common anti-HIV drug, azidothymidine, also known as AZT.
Soliman and his research team also studied these compounds and concluded the same flavonoids have unique outcomes related to cancer and depression.
Their discovery uncovered the association between advanced prostate cancer and the vulnerability for depression among men is prevalent. Possible contributors include cancer symptoms and the side effects of current prostate cancer therapies.
"Our studies on these newly discovered flavonoid compounds held a great promise as an alternative therapy for their potent affects as anti-cancer and anti-depression agents," said Redda. "The published results are fascinating."