Improving the Antitumor Effect of Chemotherapy with Ocoxin as a Novel Adjuvant Agent to Treat Prostate Cancer

Sep 24, 2026

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Prostate cancer remains highly prevalent among men, and while first-line therapies can be effective, resistance to castration and chemotherapy develops after years, often progressing to metastasis. This study evaluated Ocoxin, a plant-based antitumor mixture, alone and combined with Docetaxel, Enzalutamide, and Olaparib. Ocoxin reduced tumor cell viability, altered DNA replication, cell-cycle and p53 signaling genes, decreased migration in vitro, and lowered tumor volume in vivo, outperforming chemotherapy alone. The adjuvant approach also reversed chemoresistance driven by CAFs and osteoblasts and reduced tumor growth and angiogenesis in mice.

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1. Introduction

nutrients Article Improving the Antitumor Effect of Chemotherapy with Ocoxin as a Novel Adjuvant Agent to Treat Prostate Cancer Iera Hernandez-Unzueta 1,*, Aitor Benedicto 1, Uxue Telleria 1, Eduardo Sanz 2 and Joana M¡rquez 1, * Citation: Hernandez-Unzueta, I.; Benedicto, A.; Telleria, U.; Sanz, E.; Márquez, J. Improving the Antitumor Effect of Chemotherapy with Ocoxin as a Novel Adjuvant Agent to Treat Prostate Cancer. Nutrients 2023, 15, 2536. [https://doi.org/10.3390/](https://doi.org/10.3390/)[ ](https://doi.org/10.3390/)nu15112536 Academic Editor: Yoichi Matsuo Received: 9 May 2023 Revised: 22 May 2023 Accepted: 24 May 2023 Published: 29 May 2023 Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) . 1 Cell Biology and Histology Department, Medicine and Nursing Faculty, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain 2 Research and Development, Catalysis S.L., 28016 Madrid, Spain * Correspondence: [iera.hernandez@ehu.eus](iera.hernandez@ehu.eus) (I.H.-U.); [joana.marquez@ehu.es](joana.marquez@ehu.es) (J.M.) Abstract: Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. Although many patients respond favorably to ﬁrst-line treatments, castration—and chemotherapy—resistance arises after a few years, leading to metastasis. Thus, new approaches are being investigated using natural supplements to reinforce current therapies. Ocoxin is a plant-based mixture with antitumor properties that have been proved in several cancers. Here, we evaluated the cytotoxic capacity of this compound itself and combined with Docetaxel, Enzalutamide and Olaparib as an adjuvant agent. We observed that Ocoxin reduced tumor cell viability; slowed down cell cycles; altered the expression of genes involved in DNA replication, cell cycles and the p53 signaling pathway; and reduced migratory capacity after stimulation with cancer-associated ﬁbroblasts (CAFs) and osteoblasts in vitro and reduced tumor volume in vivo. The combination of the nutritional supplement with chemotherapy showed a higher cytotoxic effect than chemotherapy alone and reverted chemoresistance conferred by CAFs and osteoblasts. Moreover, the adjuvant therapy also improved the outcome in vivo compared to the treatment with solo chemotherapy, where mice developed smaller tumors and lessangiogenesis. Therefore, Ocoxin arises as a good candidate for further studies in combination with current treatments for prostate-cancer patients. Keywords: prostate cancer; cancer nutrition; adjuvant; chemotherapy; resistance; tumor microenvironment; ﬁbroblast; osteoblast 1. Introduction Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In particular, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men and the ﬁfth cause of cancer death [1] . These tumors originate from prostate cells that have undergone genetic and epigenetic changes such as an increase in oncogene expression and the inhibition of tumor suppressors, leading to an uncontrolled cell proliferation, which results in a prostate adenocarcinoma [2] . Eventhough there are procedures such as resection or radiotherapy for localized primary tumors, some malignant cells can spread through the bloodstream or lymphatic system and cause metastasis. In this scenario, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is used as the ﬁrst-line treatment with drugs such as enzalutamide that block androgen receptors [3,4] . Although most patients respond favorably, 10–20% of prostate cancer cases become castrate-resistant after 2–3 years [5]; thus, additional medication such as chemotherapy or immunotherapy is administered in order to stop tumor growth. In this scenario, docetaxel is the most prescribed drug, whi

FAQs

What problem does the study target in prostate cancer treatment?

It targets the development of castration and chemotherapy resistance that can arise after years and leads to metastasis, limiting the long-term effectiveness of standard therapies.

How was Ocoxin evaluated in the research?

Ocoxin was tested both as a standalone compound and as an adjuvant combined with Docetaxel, Enzalutamide, and Olaparib to assess cytotoxicity and treatment-enhancing effects.

What outcomes did the combination therapy show compared with chemotherapy alone?

The combination produced a higher cytotoxic effect, reduced migratory capacity, slowed cell-cycle progression, reduced tumor volume in vivo, and improved chemoresistance associated with the tumor microenvironment. It also resulted in smaller tumors and less angiogenesis in mice.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia