A Phase II Biomarker Trial of Gelatin Encapsulated Extract of American Ginseng Root (LEAG) in Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Clinical Trial

Official title:

A Phase II Biomarker Trial of Gelatin Encapsulated Extract of American Ginseng Root (LEAG) in Breast Cancer

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00631852
• Other study ID #: PER-SCCI 07-001.1
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 2
• Start date: February 2008
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2019

Study information

• Verified date: November 2021
• Source: Southern Illinois University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study was designed to explore the changes brought about by gelatin encapsulated extract of American Ginseng Root (LEAG) in breast cancer tumors and surrounding normal breast epithelial cells. Various tumor biomarkers, as well as inflammatory mediators, will be examined in tissue following LEAG treatment.

Description:

Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and its close relative American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) are perennial aromatic herbs that are widely used in Asian medicine. Ginseng root is used as a tonic thought to increase the body's resistance to stress and fatigue, to increase endurance under heavy physical activity, and to improve well-being in age-related debilitation. Most of the ginseng consumed, even in Asian populations, is American ginseng, and the majority of American ginseng is grown and processed in Wisconsin, with quality and standardization overseen by the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin. Furthermore, in Asian medicine, Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolium) are common components in herbals used for cancer prevention and treatment. Indeed, retrospective studies have shown that patients who consumed ginseng on a regular basis experienced cancers at a reduced rate, however, breast cancer was not considered. Ginseng has been used medicinally for over 2000 years and there are no substantiated serious adverse effects, and few, if any, non-serious adverse effects. The World Health Organization lists ginseng as a traditional medicine with very low toxicity. Clinical trials have also demonstrated an anti-hyperglycemic action of American ginseng. These studies utilized capsules containing dried, ground Ontario-grown P. qinquefolius L. root. The ground AG root preparation had an onset of action of 40 minutes. They found no significant increase in anti-hyperglycemic action after 40 minutes and no significant increase in anti-hyperglycemic action using 1 gram versus 3 gram dosing.

LEAG is a standardized preparation of lyophilized water-extract of American ginseng root in 250-mg gelatin capsules. The ginseng was purchased through the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin and the lyophilized extract has been certified for percentage of each and total ginsenoside content and screened for safe levels of minerals, metals, and pesticides by ConsumerLab.com, a leading testing service company of dietary supplements.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 16
• Est. completion date: June 30, 2019
• Est. primary completion date: June 30, 2019
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with cytologically confirmed breast cancer with biopsy showing invasive or non-invasive (DCIS) at least 1.0 cm greatest diameter on imaging

• Surgical patients undergoing lumpectomy, subtotal or total mastectomy

• 18 years of age or greater

• female

• available tissue blocks from diagnostic biopsy

• negative pregnancy test, medical history of surgical sterilization, or 1 year post menopausal

• must be willing to forego surgery for minimum of 5 days

• ability and willingness to sign written consent

• if hypertensive, on stable dose of medication at least 30 days

• if diabetic, well controlled (HbA1C < 8.5 within past 60 days or documented FPG < 140 mg/dl for 3 consecutive days

• ECOG status < 2 or Karnofsky of 60% or greater

Exclusion Criteria:

• previous or current malignancy, excluding non-melanomic skin cancer

• evidence of distant metastatic disease

• history of chemotherapy, biologic or radiotherapy with 6 months of biopsy

• usage of herbal supplements or alternative medications not approved by the FDA within 1 week of starting study drug. LEAG or related ginseng products, and combination products containing ginseng, should be discontinued within 6 weeks of starting study drug

• history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to LEAG

• history of chronic inflammatory process, including, but not limited to, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. This includes patients on concurrent systemic steroids or anti-inflammatory medications

• active bleeding or a pathological condition that carries a high risk of bleeding

• any swallowing dysfunction

• uncontrolled intercurrent illness

• poorly controlled diabetes (control indicated with HbA1c < 8.5 within past 60 days or documented fasting blood glucose < 140 mg/dl for three consecutive days)

• known diabetics who have experienced episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia in the last 6 months are also considered poorly controlled and will be excluded from study participation.

• uncontrolled hypertension (SBP > 140 mmHg or DBP > 90 mmHG)

• pregnant or breast feeding women Women must be willing to use birth control throughout study duration.

• current investigational medications or treatment with an investigational agent within 6 weeks prior to biopsy

• current coumadin therapy or who have been treated with coumadin within the 2 weeks prior to biopsy

• current monoamine oxidase inhibitors treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Breast Cancer
• Breast Neoplasms

Intervention

Drug:
• American Ginseng root
four, 250mg tablets daily 5-14 days prior to surgery

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Simmons Cancer Institute-SIU School of Medicine	Springfield	Illinois

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Southern Illinois University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (3)

Peralta EA, Brewer AT, Louis S, Dunnington GL. Vitamin E increases biomarkers of estrogen stimulation when taken with tamoxifen. J Surg Res. 2009 May 1;153(1):143-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2008.03.030. Epub 2008 Apr 22. — View Citation

Peralta EA, Murphy LL, Minnis J, Louis S, Dunnington GL. American Ginseng inhibits induced COX-2 and NFKB activation in breast cancer cells. J Surg Res. 2009 Dec;157(2):261-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2009.05.011. Epub 2009 Jun 6. — View Citation

Peralta EA, Viegas ML, Louis S, Engle DL, Dunnington GL. Effect of vitamin E on tamoxifen-treated breast cancer cells. Surgery. 2006 Oct;140(4):607-14; discussion 614-5. Epub 2006 Sep 6. — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Adiponectin	Change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean of 11.8 days
Primary	C Reactive Protein (CRP)	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean of 11.8 days
Primary	Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF)	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean of 11.8 days
Primary	Insulin Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1)	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean of 11.8 days
Primary	Insulin Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor (IGF-1R)	Mean change from baseline following 10-14 days of treatment with LEAG.	10-14 days
Primary	Interlueken-1- (IL-10)	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	IL-12p40	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	IL-1b	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	IL-1ra	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	IL-2	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean of 11.8 days
Primary	IL-23	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	IL-4	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	IL-6	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	IL-8	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	Insulin	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	Leptin	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	MCP-1	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	TGFb1	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days
Primary	TNFa	Mean change from baseline to completion of treatment with LEAG.	mean 11.8 days