Melanoma is the most aggressive form of
skin cancer. The rising incidence of
melanoma and its poor prognosis in advanced stages are compelling reasons to identify novel therapeutic agents. Though isolated dietary components such as
lycopene,
resveratrol, and
isothiocyanate compounds have been shown to provide limited protection against
cancer development, the use of whole herbs and herbal extracts for the treatment of
cancer remains of great interest. As suggested by earlier studies, the antiinflammatory activity of many plants available as intact products or as extracts has long been considered for supplemental
therapeutics for
cancer.
Zyflamend, a unique multiherbal extract preparation, is a promising
antiinflammatory agent that has also been suggested to regulate multiple pathways in
cancer progression. As
Zyflamend contains ingredients that can suppress
tumor cell proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and
metastasis through regulation of inflammatory pathway products, we hypothesized that this preparation might inhibit
melanoma proliferation. To test this hypothesis, we studied the effect of
Zyflamend on
melanoma proliferation. Here, we present that
Zyflamend inhibits
melanoma growth by regulating the autophagy-apoptosis switch. Based on the responsible molecular mechanisms of
Zyflamend, our study highlights the importance of the use of
herbal preparations for the prevention and treatment of
cancer.