Resveratrol Identified as an Anti-Cancer Compound

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Resveratrol Identified as an Anti-Cancer Compound

HealthNewsDigest.com

04 Apr 2005

(HealthNewsDigest.com).. New research suggests the importance of

foods like cranberries that naturally contain resveratrol, an anti-

cancer compound. A research team led by Dr. Bharat Aggarwal at the

University of Texas M.D. Cancer Center, in conjunction with

Dr. Navindra Seeram of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition,

Geffen School of Medicine, published their review article, citing

more than 70 previous studies, in the journal Anticancer Research.

Antiproliferation

The authors reviewed studies examining resveratrol's ability to

suppress proliferation of a wide variety of tumor cells, including

lymphoid and myeloid cancers; cancers of the breast, colon, pancreas,

stomach, prostate, head and neck, ovary, liver, lung and cervical

cancers; melanoma; and muscles. Some studies indicate

antiproliferative effects at certain dose ranges but not others,

indicating further need for systemic research to test a range of

resveratrol concentrations in vitro and then apply those doses in

vivo to the different types of tumors.

Apoptosis

Besides inhibiting proliferation, resveratrol was also shown to

induce apoptosis through one of two pathways (inducing Fas-dependent

apoptosis in some cell lines, and Fas-independent apoptosis in

others) in b-cell and t-cell lymphomas; myeloid leukemia; breast,

colon, pancreas, stomach, prostate, thyroid and head and neck, ovary,

liver, lung, and cervical cancers; and melanoma. Most studies

indicate resveratrol does not induce apoptosis in normal cells.

In vitro and animal studies comprised the majority of the research

reviewed, though several of the leukemia studies were in vivo. The

research points to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of

resveratrol as well. Good sources of resveratrol include grapes,

peanuts, cranberries and other berries.

The researchers conclude that resveratrol holds great potential in

cancer prevention and therapy. In vivo studies clearly showed that

resveratrol is pharmacologically safe. Its ability to radiosensitive

and chemosensitize suggest additional opportunities. With a simple

structure and the presence of hydroxyl groups, resveratrol would also

be well suited for structure-activity relationship studies to improve

biopotency and bioavailability.

Reference: Aggarwal, BB. Role of Resveratrol in Prevention and

Therapy of Cancer: Preclinical and Clinical Studies. Anticancer

Research 2004;24:2783-2840.