Fenben, also known as Panacur C, is a medication that is used to treat parasitic diseases and worms in animals. It is also being used to fight cancer.
It is well known that malignant cells show enhanced glucose uptake to satisfy increased energy requirements. Benzimidazole compounds interfere with glycolysis and reduce tumor growth in animal models.
Safety
Fenbendazole (FenBen) is a drug that has been in veterinary use for over 50 years. It is part of the broad-spectrum anthelmintic benzimidazole carbamate group and has been used to treat parasitic worms in animals. Researchers have recently found that it has the potential to be effective against cancer as well. According to a report published in Scientific Reports, fenbendazole can act against multiple cell pathways to eliminate tumors. The research team also discovered that the drug can prevent cancer cells from absorbing glucose, which helps them die off.
The results of this study suggest that fenbendazole can be a safe and effective alternative to metformin in treating cancer patients. Although the results are promising, further research is needed to confirm this finding. Developing new drugs takes time, money and effort. It is important to find ways to streamline this process. This is why repurposing veterinary drugs that show promise for human use can be a beneficial strategy.
Currently, fenbendazole is used in New Zealand to treat a variety of parasitic worms in pets and livestock, including roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and some tapeworms. It is also being used by humans in a cancer treatment method known as the Joe Tippens protocol. However, a recent series of videos posted on Facebook and TikTok has raised concerns about the safety of this medication for humans.
Efficacy
Fenbendazole, also known as FZ, is an antiparasitic drug derived from benzimidazole carbamate. It is widely used to treat parasitic worms in livestock. However, it has recently gained attention for its supposed anticancer properties. According to research, the drug reactivates a tumor suppressor gene inside cancer cells. This gene, known as p53, helps prevent cancer development and suppress tumor growth. This discovery prompted researchers to investigate whether the drug could cure human cancer.
Several studies have shown that fenbendazole can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells in laboratory tests. The drug binds to microtubules and disrupts their assembly. It also binds to RNA and induces oxidative stress. These effects reduce cell survival and cause apoptosis in cancer cells. Moreover, it can deplete glycogen stores and decrease ATP formation in cancer cells.
In 2021, Johns Hopkins Medicine reported that mebendazole, a drug similar to fenbendazole, can slow pancreatic cancer progression in mice. They also found that fenbendazole and mebendazole reduced cancer cell proliferation in human leukemia cells in vitro.
After a completely cured cancer patient’s story went viral, many desperate patients began self-administering fenbendazole without their physicians’ knowledge. This behavior interferes with the outcomes of their oncological treatment plans and has become a serious problem in South Korea. As a result, the government has been considering banning this practice.
Side Effects
Fenbendazole is an anthelmintic in the benzimidazole carbamate family that has been used as an animal dewormer for decades. It has a track record of safety and efficacy as an anthelmintic for worms such as hookworm, whipworm, and Ascaris. It is also well tolerated by humans in small doses.
In 2019, an unlicensed veterinarian from British Columbia posted videos on social media sites such as Facebook and TikTok that promoted a dog deworming medicine as a cure for cancer. The video was based on an interview with a patient who claimed that fenbendazole, which is not licensed as a cancer treatment, cured her small-cell lung cancer. The claim was later debunked by Sheila Singh, director of McMaster’s Centre for Discovery in Cancer Research.
Scientists have studied fenbendazole’s effects on cell growth and found that it inhibited the development of cancer cells in a lab test. The drug works by disrupting microtubules, which stabilize and transport cellular structures. It also interferes with glycolysis by blocking the conversion of glucose into energy, thus starving cancer cells of nutrients.
Researchers have also discovered that fenbendazole shows synergistic effects when combined with other anticancer agents. A study published in 2022 showed that combining fenbendazole with the microtubule targeting drug taxol, dichloroacetate (DCA)—an inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase—and the protein synthesis inhibitor p21 resulted in an increased sensitivity of Hepatocellular Carcinoma cells to cell death.
Overdose
Fenbendazole isn’t approved for human use, and it would be dangerous to take it. It’s not as safe to use for humans as it is for dogs, and it’s possible to overdose.
The drug hasn’t been tested for preventing or curing cancer, and there isn’t sufficient evidence to suggest it can cure cancer. Even if it could, there are other established treatments for cancer that have been shown to be effective, such as chemotherapy and surgery.
Despite the lack of evidence, some people are still using fenbendazole as a treatment for cancer, and it’s important to remember that there is no scientific support for this claim. It’s not a safe or effective treatment for cancer, and it can be dangerous to overdose on the medication. fenben for humans