Kill melanoma....with snake venom or Vietnamese sophora root...beta-blockers...not so much!

Just to add some levity...two more for the list:  'EVERYTHING KILLS MELANOMA' and one to forget about!!!

Beta-blocker usage after malignant melanoma diagnosis and survival:  A population-based nested case-control study.  British Journal of Dermatology.  March 2014.

"Beta-blockers were prescribed after malignant melanoma diagnosis to 20.2% of 242 patients who died from malignant melanoma and 20.3% of 886 matched controls.  Contrary to some previous studies, beta-blocker usage after malignant melanoma diagnosis was not associated with reduced risk of death from melanoma in the UK population based study."

A lectin from Bothrops leucurus snake venom raises cytosolic calcium levels and promotes B16-F10 melanoma necrotic cell death via mitochondrial permeability transition.  Toxicon.  March 2014.

OK.  So these peeps took purified snake venom from this pit viper in Brazil who is responsible for the most common deadly snake bite there.  They sprayed it on some regular skin cells and some melanoma cells in a dish.  The melanoma cells died.  The skin cells were unimpressed.  So...if this viper bites you....you are in luck!!!  Your melanoma will be dead!!!  YOU will die a pretty gruesome death after you bleed out and your heart stops...but you will be melanoma free and your skin will be fine!!!   Looks like a big-headed copperhead to me!

                                                           

Effects of vietnamese sophora root on growth, adhesion, invasion and motility of melanoma cells.  Afr J Tradi Complement Altern Med.  November 2013.

This root, which sells for about a dollar per kilo on the internet, supposedly "contains active constituents such as alkaloids, and it has anti-tumour, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects."  So with some melanoma cells in a dish, the sophora root extract, "in different concentrations" "had different degrees of inhibitory effect".  "With the decrease of concentration, the proliferation inhibitory effect decreased and even turned to promoting effect.  The extract significantly inhibited the adhesion" of cells and had "significant effect on both the invasive and migratory capacity" of the cells.  "We concluded that the extract...can inhibit the proliferation of melanoma cells, as well as their adhesion and movement."  Hmmm....guess you gotta be super careful about the dose!  Wouldn't want to do a presto-chango to a "promoting effect"!!!!!