Ectasy could be used to treat cancer and leukemia

Spain, August 21, 2011

Ecstasy could be used to treat blood cancers and could help with leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

The researchers found, about six years ago, that “cancers affecting the white blood cells respond to psychotropic drugs, including ecstasy, weight loss pills and antidepressants”.

Experts from the University of Birmingham adapted “ecstasy to be used, which gave as a result that it is one hundred times more effective against cancer cells than other common drugs”.

David Grant, who helps with the investigation, and a Ph.D. from the charity Research The Leukemia & Lymphoma, said that “the possibility of treating blood cancer with a drug derived from ecstasy is exciting. It is an important step”.

John Gordon, professor at the college of Immunology and Infections, said, “is an exciting step, the results show potential for treatment improvements in the upcoming years”.

He further clarified that “scientists worked hard to adapt ecstasy. The research showed that the dose needed to treat a tumor was fatal, so they had to insulate their properties against cancer”.

Gordon declared for the Investigational New Drugs newspaper that “his team is looking for ways to help MDMA molecules penetrate the walls of cancer cells more easily”.