Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 13, 2026 1 hour, 47 minutes ago
Medical News: A Natural Boost to a Powerful Cancer Drug
Scientists have discovered that a natural compound found in citrus fruits may significantly strengthen the cancer-killing power of a commonly used chemotherapy drug for a rare childhood eye cancer known as retinoblastoma. The research shows that hesperidin, a flavonoid abundant in oranges and lemons, can make the drug doxorubicin more effective at destroying cancer cells while also reducing their ability to spread.
A citrus-derived compound helps chemotherapy destroy eye cancer cells more effectively in lab studies
Why Retinoblastoma Treatment Needs Help
Retinoblastoma is the most common eye cancer in children and is typically treated with chemotherapy. While doxorubicin is highly effective, it is also known for serious side effects and the risk that cancer cells may become resistant over time. Researchers are therefore searching for safe compounds that can enhance chemotherapy so lower doses might be used without sacrificing effectiveness.
What the Researchers Studied
The study was carried out by scientists from Diyarbakır Private Batı Hospital, WestEye Private Hospital in Erbil, Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, and Dicle University. Using human retinoblastoma cells grown in the laboratory, the team tested hesperidin alone, doxorubicin alone, and both together.
Key Findings
Hesperidin on its own slowed cancer cell growth modestly. Doxorubicin alone was far more powerful but required higher doses to achieve strong effects. When both were used together, however, the results were striking. The combination killed far more cancer cells than either treatment alone, even when lower doses of doxorubicin were used.
The researchers also found that the combination strongly triggered apoptosis, a natural process that tells damaged cells to self-destruct. At the same time, genes that normally help cancer cells survive were switched off. This double action makes it much harder for tumor cells to stay alive.
Stopping Cancer Cells from Moving
Another important discovery was that the hesperidin-doxorubicin pairing sharply reduced cancer cell movement. Cancer spread depends on cells being able to migrate, and the study showed that the combination suppressed key molecules that help cells break through surrounding tissue. This suggests the treatment could not only shrink tumors but also limit their ability to spread.
Why This Matters
According to this
Medical News report, the findings highlight a promising strategy using natural compounds to boost existing cancer treatments. Because hesperidin is already widely consumed in the human diet and has a strong safety profile, it could one day be developed as a supportive therapy alongside standard chemotherapy.
Conclusions and Next Steps
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In conclusion, the study shows that hesperidin significantly enhances the effectiveness of doxorubicin by increasing cancer cell death and reducing cell movement through multiple biological pathways. While these results come from laboratory experiments and not patients, they provide a strong scientific basis for future animal and clinical studies aimed at safer and more effective retinoblastoma treatments.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Biology.
https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/15/4/305
For the latest on herbs and phytochemicals and cancer, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/cancer
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/herbs-and-phytochemicals
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