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is pro-apoptotic. If the ratio of Bcl-2 to BAX is great, then hold considerable promise as therapeutic agents for HCC.
[78]
apoptosis does not occur. TARAP has downregulated the Most of these studies are preclinical with very limited clinical
[73]
expression of Bcl-2 and upregulated the expression of BAX, data; therefore, the clinical efficacy of these products is still
decreasing the Bcl-2-BAX ratio, hence inducing apoptosis. far from being tested. There is a need to develop a dosing
[73]
TARAP has been used in China for hepatitis and its use in HCC from using the available technology to overcome the low
needs further studies. bioavailability and to have a standard dosage for future
clinical trials. Once that is achieved, the safety of these
LIVISTONA CHINENSIS SEED products in high doses needs to be ascertained, although
they have been in use for hundreds of years.
L. chinensis seed has been used in China for cancer
[79]
[28]
treatment. Lin et al. have evaluated the therapeutic role Lack of good clinical trials testing these products compared
of ethanol extract of the L. chinensis seed (EELC) against HCC to sorafenib and other pharmacological therapy may be due
both in vitro and in vivo. EELC has inhibited tumor growth to lack of financial support to conduct such trails.
in HCC xenograft mice and decreased the tumor weight by
43%, moreover, EELC tumor inhibition was assessed in vitro There is a pressing need for governmental funding and
on HepG2 cells, and the maximum reduction in cell viability collaboration between centers to conduct multicenter
was around 60% in a maximum time of 24 h, it also induced randomized open label studies using the standard of care,
[28]
cell apoptosis in HCC xenograft mice and HepG2 cells. with or without these products either individualized or in
Moreover, EELC has induced the loss of the mitochondrion combination.
membrane potential in HepG2 cells, leading to apoptosis and
stimulates the release of caspases 9 and 3 in HepG2 cells and Financial support and sponsorship
causes a rise in the BAX-Bcl-2 ratio, as what TARAP does. [28] Nil.

CROCIN Confl ict of interest
There is no conflict of interest.
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122 Hepatoma Research | Volume 1 | Issue 3 | October 15, 2015