IP6 + Ins in the Treatment of Colon Cancer Patients during Chemotherapy: Observational Clinical Study

Abstract

Although multiple health-beneficial effects have been related to inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), the most striking is its anticancer effect. This natural, highly phosphorylated carbohydrate and its parent compound, myo-inositol (Ins), are abundantly present in plants, but also in mammalian cells, where they regulate important cellular functions. IP6 reduces proliferation and induces apoptosis and differentiation of malignant cells, enhances immunity, and affects several critical molecular targets. The best results were obtained from the combination of IP6 + Ins. Available as a dietary supplement, IP6 + Ins can enhance the anticancer effect of conventional chemotherapy, and improve quality of life in cancer patients, reducing burden of chemotherapy. Here we present the first, but encouraging, clinical observational study with IP6 and Ins in colon cancer patients during chemotherapy. These results were the basis for several randomized controlled trials organized later. We hope that more clinical trials and mechanistic studies would follow to clarify these intriguing findings.