Developed initially to deworm animals, fenbendazole has turned out to have some surprising anti-cancer effects in human studies. It interferes with glucose uptake in cancer cells, starving them of the energy they need to grow and multiply.
It’s also found to be safe for humans to consume for prolonged periods of time. Many people ignore the bureaucratic process and start taking it without scientific data, with positive results.
Antiparasitic
The anthelmintic drug fenbendazole is a powerful parasite killer. It attacks every stage of the parasite, including the most resistant stages. It also prevents recurrence of the infection. Its effectiveness is due to its ability to break the protective wall around the parasite and kill it. It has also been shown to have anti-cancer properties.
The drug works by targeting a protein called tubulin that is found within parasites and host cells. It disrupts how the parasite uses this protein as fuel, causing it to run out of energy and die. It is similar to mebendazole, another benzimidazole medication with cancer-fighting potential.
To determine if fenbendazole is safe for human consumption, we divided the LOD and tolerance distributions by their cutoff values. This allowed us to calculate how much pheasant tissue a person would have to consume daily to experience adverse effects. We used this information to create a threshold of 0.001 mg/g.
Anti-cancer
In addition to its antiparasitic properties, fenbendazole has also been shown to have anti-cancer activity. One study found that fenbendazole inhibits tumor growth by altering the microtubule network in cancer cells. It also enhances cell death in colorectal cancer cells by promoting necroptosis. The results of this study suggest that fenbendazole could be used in conjunction with other agents to treat cancer patients.
A specialist cancer information nurse at Cancer Research UK told Full Fact that although the drug has been shown to reduce tumours in animal studies, there is no evidence that it can cure humans of cancer. She also emphasized that it has not gone through any clinical trials in humans.
A series of experiments was conducted to determine the effect of three fenbendazole injections on the growth of EMT6 tumors in BALB/cRw mice and their response to x-ray treatment. Tumor growth was monitored by measuring the time it took for each tumor to grow from its initial volume to four times its volume.
Glucose uptake
Fenbendazole inhibits glucose uptake in cancer cells, resulting in reduced cell growth and death. This effect is mediated by p21-mediated cell-cycle arrest. It also decreases the proliferation of normal cells and increases apoptosis. The drug is also an anti-inflammatory and can reduce oxidative stress, both of which may improve the survival of tumor cells.
However, animal anthelmintics have not been proven to cure human cancer. Despite this, many patients have been taking fenbendazole as an alternative to traditional treatments. Using this medication without consulting a healthcare professional can be dangerous.
To determine whether pheasant tissue is safe to consume, we calculated how much fenbendazole sulfone residues a person would need to consume to have observed adverse effects (Equation 3). We then divided this value by different fenbendazole sulfone limits and used them as an estimate of the amount of pheasant tissue that people can safely eat. This was compared to the food consumption values for edible tissues established by the FDA/EMA.
Toxicity
Fenbendazole is a medication used to treat parasites in pets. It has also been shown to prevent cancer and improve the quality of life in dogs with a variety of disorders. It interferes with cancer cells’ ability to take in glucose, which is essential for their growth and proliferation. In a test tube, it also disrupts microtubule structures in cancer cells and causes them to die. In a study with mice, the drug shrank tumors by preventing them from taking in glucose and triggering apoptosis.
To evaluate if consuming pheasant tissue with fenbendazole sulfone residues is safe, we applied a stochastic approach using different pheasant LOD distributions. We found that even the most conservative scenario (i.e., a Ufs value of 1,000) is still considered safe.
This is important because anthelmintic medications are being promoted as potential cancer treatments in viral videos on Facebook and TikTok. While these claims are not backed by peer-reviewed research, they’re getting a lot of attention from the public.fenbendazole for humans