Medical Hypotheses
Volume 53, Issue 6 , Pages 543-548, December 1999

Digitoxin is a potential anticancer agent for several types of cancer

Institute of Cancer Research and Molecular Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

Received 19 July 1999; accepted 25 August 1999.

Abstract 

The ability of digitalis to block cell proliferation has been well established for some time. Recently, digitalis in non-toxic concentrations has been showed to induce apoptosis in different malignant cell lines. In light of the pivotal role of apoptosis in cancer development and progression and this new experimental finding concerning digitalis, it seems probable that the apoptosis-inducing capability is explained by mechanisms other than just Na+/K+ ATPase inhibition. In this article, features of the cardiac glycosides which make them interesting to evaluate further as potential anticancer drugs are discussed. Some new data concerning inhibition and apoptosis in three human glioblastoma cell lines by digitoxin are also presented.

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PII: S0306-9877(99)90985-4

doi:10.1054/mehy.1999.0985

Medical Hypotheses
Volume 53, Issue 6 , Pages 543-548, December 1999

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