强力霉素（多西环素）（doxycycline）
目前针对癌症有不少治疗方法，但大部分药物都有一定的副作用。据英国《每日邮报》网站 6 月 9 日报道，最新研究结果显示，有一种“药物”的抗癌效果是常规临床药物的 100 倍，并且副作用极小，而这种“药物”就是抗生素搭配维生素 C。
研究证实，癌细胞中类似干细胞的物质就是导致癌症反反复复并易转移的原因。今年 3 月，英国索尔福德大学的研究人员发现，天然维生素 C 抑制癌细胞生长的效果是治疗癌症的临床药物的 10 倍。
最近，研究人员又把上述研究成果向前推进了一大步。他们发现，将一种名为多西环素（doxycycline）的抗生素和维生素 C 配合使用，能够有效减少癌细胞生存所需的“燃料”，进而把癌细胞“活活饿死”。这种药物组合的抗癌效果是常规临床药物的 100 倍。
实验过程中，研究人员先向癌细胞注射多西环素，并在 3 个月的时间里逐渐加大剂量，然后他们给癌细胞“服用”维生素 C。受维生素 C 影响，癌细胞仅能从葡萄糖中获得能量。如此一来，虽然癌细胞仍然存活，但其新陈代谢遭到严重削弱。最后，研究人员切断了葡萄糖的供应，进而导致癌细胞“饥饿而死”。
上述研究成果发布在国际学术期刊《肿瘤学目标》上。研究报告作者迈克尔·利桑蒂教授表示：“这进一步证明了维生素 C 和其他无毒化合物可能会在抗癌战斗中发挥重要作用。我们的研究结果证明，它在临床试验中前景广阔，作为传统治疗方法的一种辅助品，可以防止癌症复发、恶化和转移。”
研究人员特别指出，由于维生素 C 和多西环素相对无毒，这种疗法可能有效减少癌症治疗的副作用。
（编辑：高琳琳 译者：谌融）
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4588564/Antibiotics-vitamin-C-kill-cancer-cells.html
Vitamin C and antibiotics could be up to 100 TIMES more effective than drugs at killing cancer cells - without the side effects
- EXCLUSIVE: The combination starves cancer cells of their fuel, leading to death
- Vitamin C and the antibiotic are non-toxic with fewer side effects than drugs
- The vitamin inhibits cancer cells' energy-making processes, leaving them weak
- Taking away their final energy source results in the cancer cells starving to death
Vitamin C and antibiotics could be up to 100 times more effective at killing cancer cells than standard-of-care drugs, new research reveals.
Giving an antibiotic followed by vitamin C effectively starves cancer cells of their 'fuel', resulting in their death in the lab, a study found.
Vitamin C and the antibiotic given, known as doxycycline, are both relatively non-toxic and could therefore dramatically reduce the side effects of existing treatments, the researchers said.
Study author Professor Michael Lisanti from the University of Salford, said: 'This is further evidence that vitamin C and other non-toxic compounds may have a role to play in the fight against cancer.
'Our results indicate it is a promising agent for clinical trials, and as an add-on to more conventional therapies, to prevent tumour recurrence, further disease progression and metastasis.'
How the study was carried out
Researchers from the University of Salford gave cancer cells increasing doses of the antibiotic doxycycline over three months.
They then gave the cells vitamin C, which restricts their energy source to just glucose.
This kept the cells alive, albeit severely weakened. Vitamin C does this by inhibiting most of the cells' energy-making processes.
The researchers then took away glucose, resulting in the cells' starvation.
Key findings
Results, published in the journal Oncotarget, revealed that when vitamin C is given with doxycycline it is nearly 100 times more effective than standard-of-care drugs at killing cancer cells, according to the researchers.
This builds on research by the University of Salford back in March that found vitamin C alone is up to 10 times more effective at stopping cancer cell growth than drugs.
How the research could help patients
As doxycycline and vitamin C are both relatively non-toxic, the findings could dramatically reduce the possible side effects of cancer treatment, the researchers add.
Professor Lisanti said: 'This is further evidence that vitamin C and other non-toxic compounds may have a role to play in the fight against cancer.
'Our results indicate it is a promising agent for clinical trials, and as an add-on to more conventional therapies, to prevent tumour recurrence, further disease progression and metastasis.'