The discovery, led by a Mexican student, opens up new possibilities for cancer treatments other than immunotherapy. Photo: Media Drum World / Legion-Media / RT Español.

A group of scientists from Mexico and Spain has managed to identify and artificially create a component that could be used in new treatments for cancer. The leader of the research, Martín Samuel Hernández Zazueta, who is doing a doctorate at the Miguel Hernández University, in Spain, in collaboration with the University of Sonora, in Mexico, said they found a component in the ink of octopuses, called Ozopromide, which inhibits the development of cancer cells.

After six years of work, the researchers conducted a series of experiments and reactions that allowed to artificially create this molecule. The results showed that ozopromide, or OPC (Oligodendrocyte progenitor cell) in its acronym in English, has effects on the death of cancer cells, but does not affect non-cancer cells.

In addition, Hernández Zazueta stressed that the component has anti-inflammatory properties, another advantage, since many treatments that include immunotherapy can result in inflammation.

The purpose is to create a procedure that does not have swelling as a side effect.

The discovery of the component could be used in new treatments for cancer. However, more studies are still needed to ensure its effects in more specific and safe models for humans.

Ozopromide is a potential candidate to be a drug to treat cancer and its discovery is promising news for the fight against this disease.

(With information from RT Español)