Sean Moloughney01.21.09
The Hormel Institute, Austin, MN, has received a $1 million research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study an Oriental herbal compound, PGG, which may help prevent prostate cancer.
The herbal compound 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (PGG) is present in some Oriental medicinal herbals. A number of cell studies indicate the compound may have a strong cancer inhibitory effect. The Hormel Institute’s Cancer Biology Professor Dr. Junxuan Johnny Lu will lead the five-year research project.
Prostate cancer is the second cause of cancer death to men in the U.S., according to NIH statistics.
“If our research proves that indeed PGG is a safe and effective cancer preventive compound in animal models, we will further research to plan for human clinical trials,” said Dr. Lu. The goal will be to benefit both prostate cancer patients and men’s health in general.
The NIH grant is for $1 million, with an additional $525,000 added to that for supporting the costs associated with the research project.
The research was initiated through collaboration between the principal investigator of this grant award, Professor Junxuan Johnny Lu of The Hormel Institute and Professor Sung Hoon Kim of Kyung Hee University of Seoul, Korea. Professor Kim is currently a visiting professor at The Hormel Institute and a co-investigator of the research project. The Hormel Institute is a research unit of the University of Minnesota and a research collaborative partner with Mayo Clinic.
The herbal compound 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose (PGG) is present in some Oriental medicinal herbals. A number of cell studies indicate the compound may have a strong cancer inhibitory effect. The Hormel Institute’s Cancer Biology Professor Dr. Junxuan Johnny Lu will lead the five-year research project.
Prostate cancer is the second cause of cancer death to men in the U.S., according to NIH statistics.
“If our research proves that indeed PGG is a safe and effective cancer preventive compound in animal models, we will further research to plan for human clinical trials,” said Dr. Lu. The goal will be to benefit both prostate cancer patients and men’s health in general.
The NIH grant is for $1 million, with an additional $525,000 added to that for supporting the costs associated with the research project.
The research was initiated through collaboration between the principal investigator of this grant award, Professor Junxuan Johnny Lu of The Hormel Institute and Professor Sung Hoon Kim of Kyung Hee University of Seoul, Korea. Professor Kim is currently a visiting professor at The Hormel Institute and a co-investigator of the research project. The Hormel Institute is a research unit of the University of Minnesota and a research collaborative partner with Mayo Clinic.