Thailand Doctors Discover Promising Herbal Compound That Stops Lung Cancer Spread
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jul 28, 2025 1 month, 2 weeks, 1 day, 3 hours, 36 minutes ago
Thailand Doctors: Breakthrough Study Highlights Eurycomanone’s Anti-Cancer Powers
In a major medical discovery from Thailand, researchers from Chiang Mai University and Mahidol University have found that eurycomanone, a phytochemical compound derived from the root of the local herbal plant Eurycoma longifolia (commonly known as Tongkat Ali), could stop the spread of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common and deadliest type of lung cancer. This study brings new hope to cancer patients worldwide looking for safer and more effective therapies.
Thailand Doctors Discover Promising Phytochemical Called Eurycomanone From the Plant
Eurycoma Longifolia That Stops Lung Cancer Spread
NSCLC accounts for about 85% of all lung cancer cases and is often diagnosed in later stages when the cancer has already spread to other organs. In such cases, treatment becomes difficult and survival rates drop sharply. Cancer spreads through a process called epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), where cancer cells gain the ability to move and invade other parts of the body. This Medical News report reveals that eurycomanone can disrupt that deadly process.
How Eurycomanone Works to Fight Cancer
The Study and its Findings
Thailand Doctors from the Faculty of Medicine at Chiang Mai University and the Faculty of Dentistry at Mahidol University studied two NSCLC cell lines, A549 and Calu-1, in laboratory experiments. They found that eurycomanone at non-toxic levels was able to significantly reduce the cancer cells' ability to migrate and invade surrounding tissues. Specifically, it blocked the action of a protein called TGF-β1, which is responsible for activating EMT.
In one experiment, eurycomanone treatment restored the production of E-cadherin, a molecule that keeps cancer cells stuck together, thereby preventing them from moving. It also reduced the production of N-cadherin and other proteins that allow cells to spread. In addition, eurycomanone significantly reduced the secretion of MMP-2, a substance that helps cancer cells break through healthy tissue.
What makes this finding even more exciting is that eurycomanone worked by targeting both major cancer-promoting signaling systems—Smad and Akt pathways—depending on the type of lung cancer cell. This dual action makes it a powerful candidate for further development into a treatment that could work for different patients.
Why This Herbal Compound Matters
Tongkat Ali has long been used in Southeast Asia for traditional healing purposes. While many know it as a male vitality booster, scientists have increasingly uncovered its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects. Eurycomanone is one of the plant’s main active ingredients. Unlike standard chemotherapy drugs that often come with severe side effects, this compound appears to stop cancer progression without harming healthy cells at effective doses.
Looking Ahead
Thailand Doctors believe that eurycomanone co
uld eventually become part of combination therapies to stop cancer from spreading. However, they emphasize that more research is needed. The next steps include testing the compound in animal models and eventually in human clinical trials. If successful, this could open the door to a new generation of affordable and natural-based cancer therapies, especially for those with metastatic lung cancer.
The findings from this study are a promising development in the ongoing global fight against cancer. They suggest that traditional herbal medicine, when backed by modern science, may provide real hope for life-saving treatments in the future.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed International Journal of Molecular Sciences
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/15/7120
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