Cruciferous vegetable intake may boost survival of breast cancer patients

In continuation of my update on Broccoli and cabbage

Researchers with Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and the Shanghai Cancer Institute in China have discovered a possible link between a diet rich in certain vegetables and a decreased risk for breast cancer.

Corresponding author Jay Fowke, Ph.D., assistant professor of Medicine, said 3,035 women diagnosed with breast cancer were identified through the Shanghai Cancer Registry. They were closely matched with 3,037 women randomly chosen from the general population.

Ref : http://www.vicc.org/news/2008/03/study-tracks-link-between-cancer-vegetables/

Leafy greens (broccoli and cabbage) protect the gut’s immune system

In continuation of my update on Broccoli and its usefulness 

Research from the Babraham Institute and the Medical Research Council (MRC), were able to prove that leafy greens protect a certain type of immune cell known as intra-epithelial lymphocytes (IELs). IELs play a crucial role in keeping the gut lining healthy and preventing ‘bad’ bacteria from entering the gut while maintaining the balance of ‘good’ bacteria which help us to break down our food. Researchers studied mice fed a diet containing many vitamins and minerals known to be essential for good health, but which lacked vegetables. Over three weeks the mice lost 70 to 80 per cent of IELs.

The research showed for the first time that mice fed a diet low in vegetables rapidly lose these specialised immune cells lining the intestinal tract, but not other immune cells. The team discovered that IELs depend on chemical signals from the digestive breakdown products of a substance called Indole-3-carbinol, high levels of which are found in vegetables like broccoli and cabbage.......

Ref :1. http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Newspublications/News/MRC008231
2.  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867411011366

Broccoli, Cabbage, and other Veggies May Protect Against Colon Cancer

In continuation of my update on the usefulness of broccoli 
Austrailian researchers examined the diets of 918 colorectal cancer patients and 1,021 people with no history of the disease and found that consumption of certain vegetables and fruits were associated with a decreased risk of cancer in the proximal and distal colon, that is, the upper and lower portions of the colon.

Consumption of brassica vegetables (also known as cole crops) such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, turnips and cabbage, for example, appeared to reduce the risk of cancer in the upper colon, while both total fruit and vegetable intake (and total vegetable intake alone) reduced the risk of cancer in the lower colon.

They also found that eating more apples and dark, yellow vegetables was linked with a significantly reduced risk of lower colon cancer...


More....

Sulforaphane-rich foods safe and effective for preventing cancer

In continuation of my update on the benefits of broccoli and  sulforaphane............

Sulforaphane-rich foods safe and effective for preventing cancer

Researchers identify drug candidate that can treat prostate cancer

Drug candidate, developed from a naturally occurring anti-cancer agent found in cruciferous vegetables such as cabbages and broccoli, for prostate cancer...
Researchers identify drug candidate that can treat prostate cancer

Teaming broccoli with sprouts may make vegetable's anti-cancer effect twice as powerful

Teaming broccoli with sprouts may make vegetable's anti-cancer effect twice as powerful

Discovery of a Biochemical Basis for Broccoli's Cancer-Fighting Ability

In continuation of my update on broccoli and its anticancer activity.....

Fung-Lung Chung and colleagues showed in previous experiments that substances called isothiocyanates (or ITCs)  found in broccoli, cauliflower, watercress, and other cruciferous vegetables appear to stop the growth of cancer. But nobody knew exactly how these substances work, a key to developing improved strategies for fighting cancer in humans. The tumor suppressor gene p53 appears to play a key role in keeping cells healthy and preventing them from starting the abnormal growth that is a hallmark of cancer. When mutated, p53 does not offer that protection, and those mutations occur in half of all human cancers. ITCs might work by targeting this gene, the report suggests.

Scientists studied the effects of certain naturally-occurring ITCs on a variety of cancer cells, including lung, breast and colon cancer, with and without the defective tumor suppressor gene. They found that ITCs are capable of removing the defective p53 protein but apparently leave the normal one alone. Drugs based on natural or custom-engineered ITCs could improve the effectiveness of current cancer treatments or lead to new strategies for treating and preventing cancer.

Ref : http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jm101199t

Study finds anti-obesity drug reduces brain’s response to appetizing foods

Sibutramine (usually in the form of the hydrochloride monohydrate salt) is an oral anorexiant. Until recently it was marketed and prescribed as an adjunct in the treatment of exogenous obesity along with diet and exercise. It has been associated with increased cardiovascular events and strokes and has been withdrawn from the market in the US, EU, AU etc. 

Sibutramine is a centrally-acting serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor structurally related to amphetamines, although its mechanism of action is distinct.

Now, researchers lead by Prof. Paul Fletcher at the University of Cambridge discovered that the anti-obesity drug sibutramine reduced brain responses in two regions of the brain, the hypothalamus and the amygdala, both of which are known to be important in appetite control and eating behavior.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the researchers measured brain activity while obese volunteers viewed pictures of appetising high-calorie foods - like chocolate cake - or pictures of low-calorie foods - like broccoli. The brain scanning was carried out both after two weeks of treatment with the anti-obesity drug, sibutramine (see structure above), and two weeks of placebo treatment. 

On placebo, it was shown that simply seeing pictures of appetising foods caused greater activation of many regions of the brain that are known to be important for reward processing. On sibutramine, however, they found that the anti-obesity drug reduced brain responses to the appetising foods in two regions of the volunteers' brain - the hypothalamus and the amygdala. These two regions are known to be important in appetite control and eating behaviour. Additionally, people who had the greatest reduction of brain activation following drug treatment tended to eat less and to lose more weight.

I quote....

"The most exciting aspect of these results is that they help us to see that brain and behaviour are fundamental to understanding and treating obesity. Simply because obesity involves major changes in body weight and body composition, it is easy to imagine that it is entirely 'a body problem'. These results remind us that the major cause of obesity in the West is over-eating, and this behaviour is regulated by reward and satiety processing circuits in the brain." 

Ref : Paul C. Fletcher et. al., The Journal of Neuroscience, October 27, 2010

Plantain and broccoli fiber help in Crohn’s disease........

In continuation of my update on dietary benefits of broccoli....

New research from University School of Clinical Sciences in Liverpool, lead by Prof. Jonathan Rhodes,  suggests that plant fibers in plantains and broccoli can help prevent relapses of Crohn's disease. This disease is a long term disease of the gut that is characterized by inflammation of the lining of the digestive system, with symptoms including diarrhea and abdominal pain. Scientists believe that rise in processed food and decrease in fibers in diet could be a reason for rise of incidence of this disease.

For this study the scientists tested a range of soluble plant fiber to judge their effect on Crohn's disease. Soluble plant fiber is the kind which comes out of vegetables when they are boiled in water. The results of the study showed that soluble fiber from plantain and broccoli specifically stopped 45% to 82% of the bacteria E.coli from crossing into cells in the intestine. Fiber from leek and apple had no effect.

The sticky E. coli are capable of penetrating the gut wall via special cells, called M-cells that act as 'gatekeepers' to the lymphatic system. Studies have shown that patients with Crohn's disease this leak leads to chronic inflammation in the gut. This study shed that plantain soluble fibers prevented the uptake and transport of E. coli across M.cells. They compared these results with tests on polysorbate-80 - a fat emulsifier used in processed food to bind ingredients together. The tests revealed that polysorbate had the opposite effect to plantain fibers, and encouraged the movement of bacteria through the cells.

The research shows that different dietary components can have powerful effects on the movement of bacteria through the bowel. We  know  the general health benefits of eating plantain and broccoli, which are both high in vitamins and minerals, but until now we have not understood how they can boost the body's natural defences against infection common in Crohn's patients. This work, suggests that it might be important for patients with this condition to eat healthily and limit their intake of processed foods.

Ref : http://www.liv.ac.uk/researchintelligence/issue23/ibd.html

ProstaCaid (33-ingredient comprehensive polyherbal preparation) against prostate cancer......

We have seen  many benefits of natural products rich in  Quercetin,   Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and many other polyphenol antioxidant from natural products like green tea, broccoli peaches and plums. Interestingly, now researchers from  Columbia University have come up with an interesting finding, i.e., ProstaCaid is a 33-ingredient comprehensive polyherbal preparation with supplements of vitamin C, vitamin D3, zinc, selenium, quercitin, 3,3′-diinodolymethane (DIM), and lycopene was able to stop abnormal cell growth and induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in both hormone sensitive and hormone resistant prostate cancer cell lines at unusually low concentrations, which makes the findings more significant...

Herbal extracts include the extracts from turmeric root, saw palmetto berry, grape skin, pomegranate, pumpkin seed, pygeum bark, sarsaparilla root, green tea, and Japanese knotweed. Hence, it is rich in natural polyphenols, including quercetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and ellagic acid, which have previously demonstrated anticancer potential. The unique formula contains 3 medicinal mushrooms grown on an herbal-enhanced medium. The mushrooms included are Phellinus linteus, Ganoderma lucidum, and Coriolus versicolor, each with known anticancer properties.

Researchers claim that, ProstaCaid was designed based on constituents that exhibit antiprolifetaive, antioxidant, and apoptotic activities; however, its efficacy and the mechanisms of action are yet to be examined. Researchers looked at the effectiveness of the preparation in suppressing several types of prostate cancer cell lines in culture and attempt to delineate the mechanism of action for justification in pursuing animal to determine efficicacy invivo.

Researchers conclude that, the anticancer activity of ProstaCaid may be ascribed to its polyphenolic flavonoids and curcuminoids derived from various herbs as well as other supplements, such as DIM. The preparation contains supplements such as quercetin (15%), Curcuma longa root extract complex with enhanced bioavailability (BCM-95; 20%), DIM (3%), and resveratrol (0.2%). Some of these components have shown a strong doseand time-dependent growth inhibition and apoptotic death in prostate cancer cells; 25 mM of quercetin inhibited about 50% PC3 cell growth for 72 hours. At 24 hours, 50 mM and 100 mM quercetin induced G2/M arrest and apoptosis, manifested by the decrease in G2/M-related protiens.

Researchers summarise  that,    ProstaCaid has anti-cancer activities in both AD and AI prostate cancer cells at very low concentrations (25 mg/mL). It also suggests that ProstaCaid inhibits cell growth and survival, at least through the inhibition of AKT and MAPK signaling. The effect on AI cell lines is especially of importance as there is presently no curative therapy for hormone refractory prostate cancer.

Researchers postulate that ProstaCaid may affect activity of Cdc2/cyclin B1 kinase by reducing this complex formation. Cdc2 could be dephosphorylated by Cdc25C and become inactive or be phosphorylated by protein kinase, such as Wee1, and then converted into an inactive form. They also suggest that more studies are needed in the future to test it and to define its upstream events in PC3 cells.

Ref : Jun Yan and Aaron E. Katz, Integr Cancer Ther 2010 9: 186

Anti-Cancer Effects of Broccoli Ingredient Explained......

In continuation of my update on the dietary benefits of broccoli and how it helps to reduce the cancer risk....

Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Molecular Cancer have found that sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli, interacts with cells lacking a gene called PTEN to reduce the chances of prostate cancer developing.

Richard Mithen, from the Institute of Food Research, an institute of BBSRC, worked with a team of researchers on Norwich Research Park, UK, to carry out a series of experiments in human prostate tissue and mouse models of prostate cancer to investigate the interactions between expression of the PTEN gene and the anti cancer activity of sulforaphane.

"PTEN is a tumour suppressor gene, the deletion or inactivation of which can initiate prostate carcinogenesis, and enhance the probability of cancer progression. We've shown here that sulforaphane has different effects depending on whether the PTEN gene is present."

The research team found that in cells which express PTEN, dietary intervention with SF has no effect on the development of cancer. In cells that don't express the gene, however, sulforaphane causes them to become less competitive, providing an explanation of how consuming broccoli can reduce the risk of prostate cancer incidence and progression.

Ref :  http://www.molecular-cancer.com/content/pdf/1476-4598-9-189.pdf

Plant extract may be effective against inflammatory bowel disease

In continuation of my update on Broccoli and other Brassica family...
Plant extract may be effective against inflammatory bowel disease

How Dietary Supplement (Broccoli, Cabbage) May Block Cancer Cells....

In continuation of  how dietary supplement may block cancer cells... In my earlier blogs,  I have mentioned that, natural compound formed during the autolytic breakdown of glucobrassicin present in food plants of the Brassica genus, including broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and kale) are responsible for the anticancer activity associated with broccoli and other Brassica genus.

Now researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James) have discovered how a substance  (see below structure) that is produced when eating broccoli and Brussels sprouts can block the proliferation of cancer cells.

Compelling evidence indicates that the substance, indole-3-carbinol [(above structure, I3C) : Glucobrassicin (right structure) is a type of glucosinolate that can be found in almost all cruciferous plants, such as cabbages  and broccoli, degradation by the enzyme myrosinase is expected to produce an isothiocyanate, indol-3-ylmethylisothiocyanate- which is unstable and hydrlyses to give, I3C, as most dominant degradation product], may have anticancer effects and other health benefits, the researchers say. These findings show how I3C affects cancer cells and normal cells.

The laboratory and animal study discovered a connection between I3C and a molecule called Cdc25A, which is essential for cell division and proliferation. The research showed that I3C causes the destruction of that molecule and thereby blocks the growth of breast cancer cells.

"Cdc25A is present at abnormally high levels in about half of breast cancer cases, and it is associated with a poor prognosis," says study leader Xianghong Zou, assistant professor of pathology at the Ohio State University Medical Center.

For this study, Zou and his colleagues exposed three breast cancer cell lines to I3C. These experiments revealed that the substance caused the destruction of Cdc25A. They also pinpointed a specific location on that molecule that made it susceptible to I3C, showing that if that location is altered (because of a gene mutation), I3C no longer causes the molecule's destruction.

Last, the investigators tested the effectiveness of I3C in breast tumors in a mouse model. When the substance was given orally to the mice, it reduced tumor size by up to 65 percent. They also showed that I3C had no affect on breast-cell tumors in which the Cdc25A molecule had a mutation in that key location.

Ref :  American Association for Cancer Research : Cancer Prevention Research, Xianghong Zou et al.,

Synergistic activity of Sorafenib and Sulforaphane abolishes pancreatic cancer...

In continuation of my update on "Sorafenib", I find this info interesting to share with...

A team led by Professor Dr. Ingrid Herr, Head of the Department of Molecular Oncosurgery, a group of the Department of Surgery at Heidelberg University Hospital, have come up with an interesting finding, i.e.,  Sorafenib  (used for advanced liver and kidney cancer) also appears to be effective against cancer stem cells in pancreatic cancer. It inhibits resistant tumor stem cells and is also especially effective in combination with sulforaphane, an organic compound found in broccoli. 

In their tests on cancer cells and mice, the researchers showed that sorafenib inhibited typical properties of cancer stem cells from pancreas tumors and greatly reduced tumor growth. However, this effect lasted only for a short time and after four weeks, new colonies of cancer stem cells formed that no longer reacted to further treatment with sorafenib. The resistance is probably related to a certain metabolic pathway, the NF-kB pathway, that is activated by sorafenib, claims the researchers. 

Naturally occurring substance(s) e.g., sulforaphane (vegetables from the cruciferous family such as broccoli and cauliflower possess a high content of sulforaphane, an anti-cancer compound)  that block precisely this undesired NF-KB pathway and thus make the dangerous cells vulnerable.  The experiments show that sulforaphane prevents the activation of the NF-kB pathway by sorafenib and hence the combination treatment reinforces the effect of sorafenib without causing additional side effects. Researchers conclude that the invasive potential of cancer cells was prevented  and  metastasis was completely blocked in cell culture experiments. 

"We assume that nutrition may be a suited approach to break therapy resistance of cancer stem cells and thus make tumor treatment more effective," Professor Herr suggested....

Ref : http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/70/12/5004

Broccoli component limits breast cancer stem cells, study finds

In continuation of my earlier blog article " Broccoli sprouts may help prevent stomach cancer !....
I found this article interesting  to sharing with...
Broccoli component limits breast cancer stem cells, study finds

Growers can boost benefits of broccoli and tomatoes

Carotenoid-enriched tomatoes produced more bioactivity in the liver than lycopene-enriched or standard tomatoes, yielding the most cancer-preventive benefits.

In their current research, researchers from College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences | University of Illinois,  are experimenting with ways to increase the bioactive components in these foods in order to test the efficacy of enriched broccoli and tomatoes in a new prostate cancer study....

Growers can boost benefits of broccoli and tomatoes

Maple Syrup and Maple water contain abscisic acid.....

It has recently been reported that maple syrup contains polyphenols  and shows ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, a unit of measurement for antioxidants developed by the NIH)  values which compare to commonly eaten fruits and vegetables such as broccoli. Now, further research on maple syrup and its original form, maple water, conducted by Dr Yves Desjardins and his colleagues (at  Institut des neutraceutiques et des aliments fonctionnels), has revealed that both products contain equally important quantities of terpenes, and in particular, abscisic acid (see structure), a phytohormone whose health benefits have only recently been discovered. 

Vegetable physiologists and botanical researchers have known about the physiological properties of abscisic acid in the vegetable kingdom for a long time, but its health benefits for humans has only recently come to light. Along with other effects, it is known to stimulate insulin release through pancreatic cells and to increase sensitivity of fat cells to insulin, which makes it a potent weapon against  metabolic syndrome and diabetes. So its good to see that maple products contain a whole host of complementary active elements. The sugar molecules which provide the energy and sweetness in maple products are inherently complemented by abscisic acid molecules because they encourage insulin homeostasis. 

The authors conclude that, further studies are obviously needed before one can more accurately understand how eating maple products affects insulin behavior......

Ref : Dr Yves Desjardins et.al., (Emerging Topics in Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables symposium which forms part of the 28th International Horticultural Congress in Portugal, August 22-27, 2010.)

Quercetin blocks Hepatitis C infection....

The conventional treatments for hepatitis C are interferon and ribavirin, which can cause major side effects and aren't effective in all patients. But something interesting and unique has been achieved  by UCLA researchers.

As per the claim by the lead researcher Samuel French Assistant Professor, Pathology of UCLA, they have  identified major two cellular proteins (HSPs, heat shock proteins 40 and 70) that play an important role in hepatitis C infection, and they say the finding may point to new and less toxic treatments for the disease, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. The researchers also found that Quercetin,  blocks the synthesis of two heat shock proteins 40 and 70proteins  and significantly inhibited viral infection in tissue culture.

 

Quercetin (see the structure) :  

Is a plant-derived flavonoid, specifically a flavonol, used as a nutritional supplement. Laboratory studies show it may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties,  and it is being investigated for a wide range of potential health benefits.Interestingly American cancer society, says that while quercetin has been promoted as being effective against a wide variety of diseases, including cancer, There is current early-stage clinical research on quercetin addressing safety and efficacy against sarcoidosis, asthma and glucose absorption in obesity and diabetes. Food riches in Quercetin includes, capers, lovage, apples, tea (Camellia sinensis), onion, especially red onion (higher concentrations of quercetin occur in the outermost rings), red grapes, citrus fruit, tomato, broccoli and other leafy green vegetables, cherries and berries.

Significant claims by the researchers are ;

a. quercetin targets cellular proteins rather than viral proteins, there is less likelihood of developing viral

    resistance (cellular proteins cannot change like viral proteins can);

b. quercetin may allow for the dissection of the viral life cycle and has potential therapeutic use to reduce
    virus  production with low associated toxicity.

Hope the researcher will have positive results from the phase 1 clinical trial.....

Ref :http://www.cancer.ucla.edu/Index.aspx?page=644&recordid=312

Antioxidant in the vegetables for treating Cystic Fibrosis.....

I did mention in my earlier blogs, about the importance of eating broccoli and how it helps to prevent cancer and the authors claimed that the key ingredient that is responsible for this activity (claimed by the authors) is sulforaphane.

Now researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, have found an interesting fact that the antioxidant thiocyanate normally existing in the body protects lung cells from injuries caused by accumulations of hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorite, the active ingredient in household bleach. These potentially harmful chemicals are made by the body as a reaction to infection and injury. In addition, thiocyanate also protects cells from hypochlorite produced in reactions involving MPO, an enzyme released from germ-fighting white blood cells during inflammation.

The research team demonstrated that in three additional cell types used to extend their ideas to other inflammation-related conditions - cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and diabetes - thiocyanate at blood concentrations of at least 100 micromolar (micromoles per liter) greatly reduces the toxicity of MPO in cells, including those lining blood vessels. Humans naturally derive thiocyanate from some vegetables and blood levels of thiocyanate in the general population vary from 10 to 140 micromolar.

So without an adequate dietary supply of thiocyanate (from broccoli & Cauliflower), hypochlorite produced by the body during inflammation would cause additional collateral damage to cells, thus worsening inflammatory diseases, and predisposing humans to diseases linked to MPO activity, including atherosclerosis. Thus the authors claim that delivering thiocyanate directly to the digestive and respiratory systems might be a therapy for CF disease.

Ref :
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2009/11/11/0911412106.full.pdf+html?sid=2078aa5c-20d6-4a74-b98a-2a5ef6df93d4

A special protien in the stomach against Helicobacter pylori ....

In my earlier blogs, I did mention with the help of Broccoli and Glutamine how one can avoid the stomach ulcer caused by H. pylori infection (which in turn lead to gastric adenocarcinoma and MALT lymphoma). But this is something interesting a special protein in the lining of the stomach has been shown to be an important part of the body’s defence against the stomach ulcer bacterium Helicobacter pylori in a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg. The discovery may explain why the bacterium makes some people more ill than others.

The research team has shown that a protein called MUC1 found in the lining of the stomach is important for the body’s defence against the bacterium. Greatly magnified, MUC1 looks like a tree growing out of low bushes on the surface of the stomach. As MUC1 is taller than the other structures on the cell surface, Helicobacter pylori readily becomes attached to the protein and then rarely gets to infect the cell. As per the claim by the researchers MUC1 acts as a decoy which prevents the bacterium from coming into close contact with the cell surface. Genetic variations between people mean that MUC1 molecules vary in length, and this may be part of the reason why Helicobacter pylori makes some people more ill than others. Congrats for this improtant achievement..

Ref : http://www.plospathogens.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.ppat.1000617