Testing the Nutraceutical Valor Humani ™ different tinctures containing Convolvulus arvensis, Boswellia serrata and Curcuma longa in human cancer cell lines in vitro.

Valor Humani™ Final Report – Week 10

Sponsor: Mr. Amir Tivon – Schleider Laboratories
Responsible: Dr. Yehoshua Maor, Ph.D.
Organization: Resorcix Ltd., The Hadassah Medical Center Hebrew University Biotechnology Park (JBP), Jerusalem, Israel
Date: August 15 – October 29, 2017

Introduction

Following a meeting in August 2017, Schleider Laboratories commissioned Resorcix Ltd. to test various formulations of the nutraceutical Valor Humani™, designed to strengthen the immune system and combat cancer.

The study evaluated tinctures containing Convolvulus arvensis, Boswellia serrata, and Curcuma longa using in-vitro human cancer cell lines and barrier models (gut-pancreatic and blood-brain barrier).

Scientific Background

Convolvulus arvensis

Traditional uses in Islamic medicine as a hepatic cleanser and treatment for spleen pain, earache, and fever.
Demonstrates stimulatory, antioxidant, anticancer, and laxative properties.
Limited data exist regarding its anticancer mechanism (only two PubMed studies found).

Boswellia serrata

Commonly known as frankincense.
Used to treat inflammatory and respiratory diseases.
Exhibits anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-neoplastic properties.
Effective in vitro and in vivo against several cancers (prostate, pancreatic, breast, brain, leukemia, melanoma, etc.).
Mechanism of action still not fully understood.

Curcuma longa (Curcumin)

Extensively studied (over 560 PubMed references with “Curcuma longa” and “cancer”).
Known for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-angiogenic, and apoptotic properties.
Helps with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, psoriasis, and various cancers.
Main limitation: low bioavailability in vivo.

Methods

Cell Lines Used

Aspc1: Human pancreatic cancer
Caco-2: Human colon cancer
SH-SY5Y: Neuroblastoma
BJ cells: Normal human fibroblasts

MTT Cell Viability Assay

Cells were treated with tinctures #2, #5, and a mixture of both.
Concentrations ranged from 0.05 – 7.5 mg/ml, incubated for 72 h, and compared to chemotherapeutic standards Irinotecan and Carboplatin.

Transepithelial Electrical Resistance (TEER)

Measured the integrity of cellular barriers (gut and BBB models).
Caco-2 and HUVEC cells were grown on Transwell membranes; Aspc1 and SH-SY5Y cells cultured beneath.

HPLC Analysis

HPLC profiles characterized chemical differences between tinctures, showing distinct chromatographic signatures for #1, #2, #3, #5, and their mixtures.

Results

Potency and Cytotoxicity

Tincture #2: EC₅₀ ≈ 0.9 mg/ml
Tincture #5 / Mix: EC₅₀ ≈ 1.5 mg/ml
#2 more potent than #5 or the Mix on Aspc1 cells (pancreatic cancer).
More effective than 15 µM Irinotecan or Carboplatin.

Gut–Pancreatic Model

#2 and #5 increased tight junction integrity (higher TEER).
Mix disrupted the Caco-2 monolayer but still inhibited Aspc1 proliferation.
Indicates small molecules passed the gut barrier and remained active.

Colon Cancer (Caco-2)

EC₅₀ ≈ 0.4 mg/ml for the Mix—more potent than #2 or #5 alone.
Carboplatin showed little to no effect.
BJ cells (normal fibroblasts) showed much lower cytotoxicity → selective toxicity to cancer cells.

Neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y)

Highly sensitive to the tinctures (similar potency to 15 µM Carboplatin).
Led to the development of an in-vitro blood–brain barrier (BBB) model.

Blood–Brain Barrier (BBB) Model

Formulations Tested

Combination #1 + #2
Combination #1 + #5
Inverted Mix (2/3 #2 + 1/3 #5)

The inverted mix showed:

Lower toxicity (EC₅₀ ≈ 1.2 mg/ml vs 0.4 mg/ml)
Capability to pass through the BBB without impairing integrity.
Significant reduction in neuroblastoma proliferation.

In contrast:

#1 + #2 and #1 + #5 combinations increased TEER, improving barrier tightness but preventing molecule passage.

Conclusions

This is the first study combining Convolvulus arvensis, Boswellia serrata, and Curcuma longa in different proportions and testing them in human cancer lines and barrier models.
Each formulation exhibited distinct cytotoxic profiles depending on cell type.
EC₅₀ values ranged 0.4 – 1.8 mg/ml.
The inverted mix demonstrated selective anticancer activity at low concentrations while maintaining BBB integrity.
Further in-vivo studies are recommended to confirm selective activity.

“The overall results are very encouraging. Valor Humani™ shows real promise as a potential botanical drug candidate for future development.”
— Dr. Yehoshua Maor, Ph.D.

References

(Selected key references from the report)

Hunt C (2009). Mabberley’s Plant-Book: A Portable Dictionary of Plants. Cambridge University Press.
Zaid H et al. (2012). Evid. Based. Complement. Alternat. Med., 349040.
Mahmoudi M et al. (2014). J. Complement. Integr. Med. 11.
Akihisa T et al. (2006). Biol. Pharm. Bull., 29, 1976–1979.
Gupta S et al. (2013). AAPS J. 15, 195–218.
Deeken J F & Loscher W (2007). Clin. Cancer Res. 13, 1663–1674.

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