Scientists continuously advance cancer treatment and therapy. In addition to drugs, chemotherapy and radiation therapy are currently the most utilized treatments.
A team of students from UGM has successfully developed a cancer treatment using a combination of albumin from snakehead fish (Channa striata) and compounds from the Duranta erecta L. flower, which are considered potent and effective in inhibiting cancer cell growth.
The research team consists of Fahmi Ihsanuddin Jauhari, Rafif Ananda Putra, Fadillah Rahma Ranita, and Naafi’ Noor Nafiza Novikh from the UGM Faculty of Pharmacy, supported by their supervising lecturer, Dr. Rohmad Yudi Utomo.
This project is part of the Student Creativity Program in Exact Science Research (PKM RSE), funded by UGM and the Ministry of Education.
The team leader, Fahmi Ihsanuddin Jauhari, explained that their research aims to harness the anticancer potential of compounds in Duranta erecta L., specifically flavonoids, by enhancing their stability and bioavailability using albumin as a delivery medium.
“This innovation not only creates a new solution in cancer treatment but also introduces the use of local natural resources in pharmaceutical development,” Jauhari said at the UGM campus on Thursday (Aug. 1).
Jauhari elaborated that snakehead fish albumin was chosen for its ability to enhance the stability and bioavailability of active compounds in the body. This albumin can prolong the half-life of active compounds in the bloodstream and reduce potential side effects.
This research uses snakehead fish albumin as a carrier for the active compounds from the Duranta erecta L. flower. This carrier is expected to deliver these compounds more effectively to cancer cells through the Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR) process.
The study involved a series of in vitro tests to assess the effectiveness of the snakehead fish albumin delivery system on breast cancer cells.
“Initial results from these tests show that using albumin as a delivery medium can significantly increase the absorption of anticancer compounds and slow down cancer cell growth,” Jauhari revealed.
Dr. Utomo, the supervising lecturer, stated that the active compounds studied in this research, such as durantoside, have shown promising anticancer activity. With this delivery system, their therapeutic efficacy is expected to improve.
“This innovation demonstrates great potential in developing cancer therapies based on natural ingredients, particularly from abundant resources like snakehead fish and the Duranta plant,” he said.
According to Dr. Utomo, this research project also paves the way for further development in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in creating more affordable and effective natural-based medications.
This project contributes to science and technology and reflects the dedication and creativity of UGM students in developing innovative solutions beneficial to the broader community.
“It is hoped that this discovery can positively impact cancer treatment in Indonesia and possibly globally,” he explained.
Author: Agung Nugroho