During recent years, there has been a growing interest in their potential clinical applications due to their multiple purposes in different treatments, including antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumour, antiparasitic, hypoglycaemic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic use. All isoprenoids are essential for numerous cellular functions, including cell signalling, lipid and protein synthesis, maintenance of membrane integrity, cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Isoprenoids are natural compounds produced from a common precursor, mevalonate (a diagram of the isoprenoid pathway is summarized in Figure 1A). However, prolonged use of cytostatics can have adverse effects. The main drawback of using cytostatic drugs is that they are less effective than traditional cytotoxic drugs, requiring longer treatments. For this reason, the development of new treatments (with selective action) using cytostatic drugs is being studied. Cytotoxic drugs are the most widely used cancer treatment, but their action is not selective, causing serious side effects.

In 2020, cancer was responsible for approximately 10 million deaths worldwide. It is currently the second most common cause of human mortality in the world after cardiovascular diseases. Finally, cell cycle analysis corroborates the action of FOH as inducer of a G0/G1 phase when the cells were treated using the complex form, this viability was reduced, reaching 50% in the case of colon and liver, 60% in fibroblasts, and only 75% in breast cancer.Ĭancer is considered one of the main social and economic concerns of the public health systems.

Similar results were obtained for both types of isomers, and the addition of phosphatidylcholine reverses this effect. All cells suffered apoptosis after being treated with 150 μM of free FOH, but the complex reduced their cell viability between 50 and 75%. Farnesol showed selectivity, affecting the viability of colon and liver cancer cells more than in breast cancer cells and fibroblasts. The therapeutic action of farnesol and complex were studied in different carcinoma cells, compared with a normal cell line.

To assess FOH potential application in anticancer treatments, Sulfobutylated β-cyclodextrin Sodium Salt (SBE-β-CD) was selected, due to it has high solubility, approbation by the FDA, and numerous studies that ensure its safety to be administered parenterally or orally without nephrotoxicity associated. One alternative is the use of cyclodextrins (CDs) which house hydrophobic molecules forming inclusion complexes. One of them is farnesol (FOH), which can reduce cell proliferation, but its low solubility in aqueous solvents limits its possible clinical use as a pharmacological tool. Isoprenoids are natural compounds essential for a great number of cellular functions.

Mestrenova trial