Phytochemicals cancer prevention

Extensive research in the last few years has revealed that the regular consumption of certain fruits containing carotenoids, an important group of phytochemicals derived from such fruits and vegetables, is involved in cancer prevention. Both prospective and retrospective epidemiological studies have consistently and clearly shown that an increased intake of fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoids is associated with a decreased risk of cancer (Mayne, 1996 Peto... 

Mizutani K (1994) Food phytochemicals for cancer prevention II. In Ho C, Osawa M, Huangand M, Rosen RT (eds) ACS symposium series, vol 547. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, pp 322-328... 

Liu, R.H., Potential synergy of phytochemicals in cancer prevention Mechanism of action, J. Nutr., 134, 3479S, 2004. 

Smith, T.J. and Yang, C.S. 1994. Effects of food phytochemicals or xenobiotic metabolism. In Food Phytochemicals for Cancer Prevention I. Fruits and Vegetables (M.T. Huang, T. Osawa, C.T. Ho, and R.T. Rosen, eds), pp. 17—48. American Chemical Society, Washington, DC. 

Research in our laboratory has focused on cancer prevention in colon and skin by phytochemicals. We have recently studied apigenin, a tri-hydroxy flavone that is widely distributed in plants and resveratrol, a phytoalexin that is found in grapes, wine, peanuts, and Asian herbs. We initially found that topical apigenin inhibited chemically and ultraviolet (UV)-light induced skin cancer and that it was most effective in preventing cancer promotion. 

CANCER PREVENTION BY PHYTOCHEMICALS, MODULATION OF CELL CYCLE... 

The ability of phytochemicals to modulate cell cycle can be useful in evaluating and optimizing cancer prevention by these compounds. Studies reported here demonstrate that phytochemicals may differentially impact cell cycle and cell number depending upon the mutations in the cancer cell. In addition, cell cycle regulatory proteins are altered by phytochemicals in ways that may explain the cell cycle modulation. The fact that structural features of flavonoids impact cell cycle modulation suggests that cell cycle modulation may be useful in identifying the most active compounds for colon cancer prevention. Finally, cell cycle modulation studies can inform us on plant modifications that may be useful for nutritional enhancement. 

Tanaka O. Ginseng and its congeners - Traditional oriental food drugs. In Food Phytochemicals for Cancer Prevention II, ACS Symposium Series 1994 547 335-341. 

H. Katsuzaki, T. Osawa, and S. Kawakishi, in Food Phytochemicals for Cancer Prevention (II), American Chemical Society Press, Champaign, Illinois, 1994, p. 275. 

Barnes, S. Sfakianos, J. Coward, L. Kirk, M. Soy isofla-vonoids and cancer prevention underlying biochemical and pharmacological issues. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 1996, 401, 87-100 (Special Issue Dietary Phytochemicals in Cancer Prevention and Treatment). 

IpC,LiskDJ. 1996. The attributes of selenium-enriched garlic in cancer prevention. In American Institute for Cancer Research, eds. Dietary phytochemicals in cancer prevention and treatment. New York, NY Plenum Press, 179-187. 

CT Ho, T Osawa, MT Huang, RT Rosan. ACS Symposium Series 547. Food Phytochemicals for Cancer Prevention II. Washington, DC American Chemical Society, 1994, pp. 264-280. 

In addition to nutrients needed to satisfy basic nutritional requirements of humans, many foods contain components, sometimes called phytochemicals, that appear to exhibit positive effects in disease prevention. Phytochemicals are substances found in edible fruits and vegetables that may be ingested by humans and that exhibit a potential for modulating human metabolism or the metabolism of cancerous cells, in a manner favorable for cancer prevention (2), or more broadly, for disease prevention in general. 

Chapters 8-11 are devoted to consideration of two main classes of phytochemicals Chapter 8 centers on organosulfur compounds from the Allium genus, and their role in cancer prevention, while subsequent chapters are devoted to polyphenols and their wide-ranging effects against cancers, cataracts, and cardiovascular disease. Chapter 9 examines the cancer-protective and therapeutic potential of polymethylated flavonoids such as occur in citras, while Chapter 10 summarizes recent cancer chemopievention research in an area particularly relevant to the British and Chinese backgrounds of the editors, notably tea. A much less well-studied area, that of cataracts and their prevention by dietary flavonoids, is presented in Chapter 11. 

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