dichloroacetate (DCA) Takes Over the Blogosphere
I first heard about dichloroacetate or DCA via the del.icio.us/popular list. A few hundred people had bookmarked a blog posting in which the author attempts to educate and express their frustration with the current progress of DCA research. The current buzz about DCA is it could cure ALL cancers, but research is lacking because of the lack of ‘big profit potential’ in DCA.
The flame war has begun, here’s some more info on DCA…
Dichloroacetic acid (systematic name dichloroethanoic acid, aka Dichloroacetate, DCA) is an analogue of acetic acid in which two of the three hydrogen atoms of the methyl group have been replaced by chlorine atoms. It is prepared by the reduction of trichloroacetic acid
Here’s what’s on Wiki related to cancer research…
In recent experiments at the University of Alberta[5], dichloroacetate has also been shown to regulate and restore normal metabolic functions in damaged mitochondria. This has proved particularly interesting in cancer cells, which do not self-terminate upon detecting abnormalities due to damaged metabolic functions. Tiny doses of dichloroacetate shrank breast, brain, and lung cancers in human cancer cell lines and in rats.[6][7] Although this indicates that DCA could some day be used in humans as a therapy against cancer, clinical trials of the effect of DCA on humans with cancer have not started yet.[8] An article in New Scientist magazine suggests that clinical trials may require public funding, as the lack of a patent reduces the incentive for any company to invest in research.[8] Original article appeared in the journal, Cancer Cell.[9]
Good article on NewScientist.com.
