Mechanism of action1) The active substance is ether fosfolipid PNAE (plasmanyl-N-acyl-etanolamin). Its activity is based ona different metabolism of ether phospholipids in healthy and tumour cells. Healthy cells carry the enzyme alkylglycerolmonooxygenase that cleaves an ethereal bond in the PNAE molecule. The resulting fragments are further used for biosynthesis of lipids and phospholipids that form an essential part of cell membranes. This enzyme is absent or almost inactive in tumour cells which leads to the accumulation of ether phospholipides PNAE in the tumour cell membranes and their destruction, while healthy cells remain undamaged. Another positive quality isthe inhibitory effect on protein kinase C (PKC)that appears in tumour cells in elevated concentration. PKC is the internal messenger of signal in the cell. It affects enzymatic systems that play an important role in regulating cell proliferation. PKC is also inhibited by other substances with anti-tumour effect such as tamoxifen2), adriamicin3), calphostinC4), that are used for the clinic treatment of cancer. In contrast to these cytostatic drugs, the competitive inhibition of PKC by the semi-synthetic PNAE preparation has no toxic effects.5). Furthermore, an empiric finding exists indicating that OVOSAN administration supports functions of the immunity system. It was successfully applied, for example, in the treatment of auto-immune and allergic diseases. Another information for specialists - web Ovosan Microphotograph of the HEp-2 human tumour cell in the tissue culture: Microvilli on the cell surface are typice of a living cell. After 24-hour treatmentwith PNAE (50 µg/ml) the holes in the cellular membráně are recognisable. After 48-hourtreatment with PNAE (50µg/ml) the cellular membrane is significantly damaged, the cell is dead. References: 1) KÁRA J.: Ether Phospholipid PNAE against tumour cells. Prevention and therapy of metastases, 2001. 2) O´BRIEN C.A., LISKAMP R.M., SOLOMON D.H., WEINSTEIN I.B.: Inhibition of protein kinase C by Tamoxifen. Cancer res., 45, 2462-2465, 1985. 3) ZHAO F.K., CHUANG L.F., ISRAEL M., CHUANGR.Y.: Adriamycin interacts with diacylglycerol to inhibit human leukaemia protein kinase C. Anticancer Research, 9, 225-230, 1989. 4) KOBAYASHI E., NAKANO H., MORIMOTO M., TAMAOKI T.: Calphostin C (UCN - 1028C), a novel microbial compound, is a highly potent and specific inhibitor of protein kinase C. Biochem. Biophys.Res.Commun., 159, 548-553, 1989. 5) KÁRA J.: Ether-fosfolipidy v onkologii, Chemické listy 87, 58-63, 1993. - Development of the Preparation - Indication and Recommended Dosage - Mechanism of action - Documents - Expert publication