Inositol – Lung Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Will Inositol benefit lung cancer patients? Inositol is a naturally occurring nutrient found in various forms, the most common being myo-inositol. Inositol is found in phospholipids which function as cellular mediators of signal transduction, in metabolic regulation, and growth.
Myo-inositol is one of nine distinct isomers of inositol, and the terms are often used interchangeably. Inositol is essential for the growth of rodents, but not for most animals, including humans. Humans can make inositol in the body, which they do from glucose. Even though inositol is sometimes referred to as a vitamin, it is not a vitamin for humans. Myo-inositol is also known as inositol, hexahydroxycyclohexane, cyclohexanehexol, and mouse anti-alopecia factor.
Inositol supplements may benefit those with bipolar disorder, depression, impotence, obsessive-compulsive disorder, lung cancer, panic disorder, and polycystic ovary syndrome. This supplement could also be helpful in those with psoriasis who are on lithium medication. The inositol dosages used in most studies have been several grams. Whether smaller amounts of inositol benefit these conditions is not clear. Sometimes researchers choose dosages of medicines and supplements much higher than is required since they wish to elicit a quick response.
Research conducted: A phase I study of myo-inositol for lung cancer chemoprevention.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Aug. Lam S, McWilliams A, LeRiche J, MacAulay C, Wattenberg L, Szabo E.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, British Columbia Cancer Agency, British Columbia, Canada.