Check this out,
http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/annualreport/ar2.pdf
Seems that berries have anti-carcinogenic properties, tested for oral and esophageal cancers, which are of interest to cigar smokers like us.
FROM CROP TO CLINIC:
BERRIES SHOW PROMISE IN
FIGHT AGAINST CANCER
Cancer is responsible for one in every four deaths
in the United States and an astounding $189.8 billion in
overall costs every year. However, as much as one-third of
the country’s cancer deaths could be prevented, as they are
related to physical inactivity and nutrition.
That’s where a unique Ohio State University “cropto-
clinic” research project comes into play. The project,
which has brought together food, agriculture, and medical
experts, is taking a close look at nutrients found in berries
to determine if they can stop or slow some of the biological
processes that contribute to the development or spread of
different types of cancer.
Black and red raspberries, blackberries, strawberries,
and elderberries are some of the fruits whose diseasefighting
power is being researched, said Steven Schwartz,
an OARDC scientist with the Department of Food Science
and Technology. Berries contain a number of compounds
that have been shown to have anti-carcinogenic properties,
including vitamins A, C, and E; selenium; ellagic acid; and
anthocyanins (which give berries their color).
“We are using state-of-the-art analytical techniques to
help us measure the components present in berries that
are absorbed into cells and tissues,” Schwartz said. “Once
we identify the compounds and their metabolites, we can
better understand the molecular mechanisms responsible
for the biological activity of berries to inhibit growth of
cancer cells.”
In laboratory studies, project scientists have found
that freeze-dried berries can inhibit the development
of oral, esophageal, and colon cancers in rodents. The
berries prevented carcinogens from being converted into
forms that cause DNA damage and also slowed down the
growth of pre-malignant cells, said Gary Stoner, director
of the Cancer Chemoprevention Program in Ohio State’s
Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Such promising results have led to the establishment
of human clinical trials. In one of the studies, patients
with early-stage colon cancer are fed freeze-dried black
raspberries. Other studies are examining the effect of
black raspberries in liquid form to treat patients with
esophageal cancer. Researchers in another trial are
evaluating the berries in a chewy, lozenge form in patients
with oral cancers. The team has also developed a raspberry
bio-adhesive gel, which will be used to treat people with
pre-cancerous lesions in their mouths.
The project has received nearly $2.4 million in federal
funds secured by U.S. Representatives David Hobson and
Deborah Pryce of Ohio during the past two years. A portion
of this contribution will be used to study the potential
protective effect of berries on cancers of the cervix and
skin—two major types of cancer afflicting Ohioans.
For more information, log on to the following web sites:
http://www-fst.ag.ohio-state.edu/cv/Schwartz/
schwartz.html
http://www.cancer.org
http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/annualreport/ar2.pdf
Seems that berries have anti-carcinogenic properties, tested for oral and esophageal cancers, which are of interest to cigar smokers like us.
FROM CROP TO CLINIC:
BERRIES SHOW PROMISE IN
FIGHT AGAINST CANCER
Cancer is responsible for one in every four deaths
in the United States and an astounding $189.8 billion in
overall costs every year. However, as much as one-third of
the country’s cancer deaths could be prevented, as they are
related to physical inactivity and nutrition.
That’s where a unique Ohio State University “cropto-
clinic” research project comes into play. The project,
which has brought together food, agriculture, and medical
experts, is taking a close look at nutrients found in berries
to determine if they can stop or slow some of the biological
processes that contribute to the development or spread of
different types of cancer.
Black and red raspberries, blackberries, strawberries,
and elderberries are some of the fruits whose diseasefighting
power is being researched, said Steven Schwartz,
an OARDC scientist with the Department of Food Science
and Technology. Berries contain a number of compounds
that have been shown to have anti-carcinogenic properties,
including vitamins A, C, and E; selenium; ellagic acid; and
anthocyanins (which give berries their color).
“We are using state-of-the-art analytical techniques to
help us measure the components present in berries that
are absorbed into cells and tissues,” Schwartz said. “Once
we identify the compounds and their metabolites, we can
better understand the molecular mechanisms responsible
for the biological activity of berries to inhibit growth of
cancer cells.”
In laboratory studies, project scientists have found
that freeze-dried berries can inhibit the development
of oral, esophageal, and colon cancers in rodents. The
berries prevented carcinogens from being converted into
forms that cause DNA damage and also slowed down the
growth of pre-malignant cells, said Gary Stoner, director
of the Cancer Chemoprevention Program in Ohio State’s
Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Such promising results have led to the establishment
of human clinical trials. In one of the studies, patients
with early-stage colon cancer are fed freeze-dried black
raspberries. Other studies are examining the effect of
black raspberries in liquid form to treat patients with
esophageal cancer. Researchers in another trial are
evaluating the berries in a chewy, lozenge form in patients
with oral cancers. The team has also developed a raspberry
bio-adhesive gel, which will be used to treat people with
pre-cancerous lesions in their mouths.
The project has received nearly $2.4 million in federal
funds secured by U.S. Representatives David Hobson and
Deborah Pryce of Ohio during the past two years. A portion
of this contribution will be used to study the potential
protective effect of berries on cancers of the cervix and
skin—two major types of cancer afflicting Ohioans.
For more information, log on to the following web sites:
http://www-fst.ag.ohio-state.edu/cv/Schwartz/
schwartz.html
http://www.cancer.org
