dog dewormer for cancer Fenbendazole is an antiparasitic drug that’s used to treat parasitic infections in animals. Some studies have shown it can slow cancer growth in petri dishes and mice, but there’s not enough evidence from randomized clinical trials to show whether it would work for humans.
Inhibition of tubulin polymerization is a key mechanism of action of fenbendazole in cell cycle arrest and mitotic catastrophe in human colorectal cancer cells. The drug also has cytotoxic, cytostatic, and apoptosis-inducing effects in these cells. However, the exact mechanisms remain unclear.
A cellular structure called the mitotic spindle helps separate chromosomes equally during cell division (mitosis). The mitotic spindle is made of microtubules, which are polymers that provide shape and structure to cells. Drugs that target microtubules are already a class of approved cancer treatments, such as vinca alkaloids and taxanes.
In our study, we found that fenbendazole inhibits the formation of the mitotic spindle by suppressing cyclin B1–CDK1 complex formation and by decreasing the activity of anaphase-promoting complex. Furthermore, the drug inhibits tumor growth in vivo in EMT6 mouse xenografts. When administered in the diet or through three i.p. injections per week, the drug significantly reduced tumor volume until it reached 1000 mm3 or less. This is similar to results obtained with local tumor irradiation.
In addition, fenbendazole induces apoptosis in 5-fluorouracil-resistant SNU-C5 cells by triggering ferroptosis through decreased expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). This occurs without affecting p53 activation in these cells.