Carrot and carotene consumption could diminish the risk of a wide range of negative health consequences, including multiple types of cancer.

2023 Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture Carrot and carotene and multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of the evidence Yi X, Li J, Liao D, Peng G, Zheng X, Xu H, et al.

Review Article Alzheimer's Disease Anticancer Breast Cancer

An umbrella review methodology was adopted to identify connections between carrot and carotene intake and various health outcomes. We turned to databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase to find the needed data. The analysis included the collected evidence from both interventional and observational studies that focused on carrots, carotene, and any related health impact. To estimate the summary effect size for each correlation, both random and fixed effects models were employed.

The study reviewed a total of 1329 studies and utilized the data from 30 meta-analyses with 26 health outcomes that fit the eligibility requirements. These featured outcomes related to various types of cancer, fractures, age-related cataract, sunburn, and Alzheimer's disease. The associations were analyzed between the health outcomes and the intake of carrots, intake of carotene, and serum carotene levels.

View Article

Crocin, a compound derived from saffron, has shown considerable potential in hindering tumor growth and improving immune status, across various malignant tumors.

2023 PeerJ Advances on the anti-tumor mechanisms of the carotenoid Crocin Bao X, Hu J, Zhao Y, Jia R, Zhang H, Xia L

Review Article Anti-Tumour Breast Cancer Cervical Cancer

The methodology for the study involved an in-depth review of modern pharmacological studies that have analyzed the therapeutic effects of crocin, a natural compound that can be extracted from saffron. Various anti-tumor effects were assessed including the induction of tumor cell death (apoptosis), restrictions on tumor cell proliferation, and potential barriers to invasion and metastasis of these cells. The potential for enhancement of sensitivity to chemotherapy and improvement of immune status were also examined.

Following the review, the study revealed that crocin has significant anti-tumor properties. It showed that this natural compound can induce apoptosis in tumor cells, inhibit their expansion and progression, and even prevent their invasiveness and metastasis. Furthermore, crocin demonstrated the potential to enhance the body’s responsiveness to chemotherapy and help boost the immune system. These effects were observed across a range of different malignant tumors, including stomach, liver, cervical, breast, and colorectal cancers.

View Article

Ellagic acid, found naturally in pomegranates, significantly inhibits growth and migration of gastric cancer cells without causing notable side effects.

2022 Human & Experimental Toxicology The effects of ellagic acid and other pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) derivatives on human gastric cancer AGS cells Cheshomi H, Bahrami AR, Rafatpanah H, Matin MM

Experimental Study Ellagic Acid Pomegranate Stomach Cancer

In the methodology of this study, High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was employed to detect the presence of Ellagic Acid (EA) in samples. Various methods were then used to determine the various anti-cancer properties of different concentrations of pomegranate fruit juice, pomegranate peel extract, and pure EA. This included an MTT assay, apoptosis and scratch assay, gelatin zymography and quantitative RT-PCR. Additionally, the study examined the impact of these compounds on immunocompromised C57BL/6 mice carrying human gastric cancer tumors.

Extending to discussing the results, it was found that EA inhibited both the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer cells in mice and altered gene expressions related to apoptosis and inflammation. The treatments with EA or pomegranate extract resulted in a noticeable decrease in tumor size in the lab mice. No significant side effects were reported from EA use. In sum, the results showed EA's potential as a safe and effective anti-cancer agent specific to gastric adenocarcinoma.

View Article

The pharmacological actions of Coix seed in gastric cancer treatment may involve pathways in cancer, the DNA damage response, transcription factor binding, the apoptotic process, and the cell–cell junction.

2020 Natural Product Communications Mechanism Analysis of Coix Seed in Gastric Cancer Treatment Based on Biological Network Modules Zhang, F., Liu, X., Huo, B., et al.

Stomach Cancer

Coix seed, the mature seed of Coix lacryma-jobi L., is a traditional herb widely used in various cancer adjuvant treatments; however, its mechanism is unknown. The aim of this study was to reveal the multitarget mechanisms of Coix seed in the treatment of gastric cancer (GC) by biological network and modular analysis methods. Forty-one ingredients and 482 targets of Coix seed and 165 GC-related genes were obtained from databases. Twelve on-target genes (AICDA, CASP3, EP300, ERBB2, FGFR2, IL12A, IL12B, IL1B, LOX, TJP1, TP53, and TRIB3) of Coix seed overlapped with GC-related genes. Using compound-target and protein–protein interaction network analyses, we discovered the core targets of Coix seed. Markov cluster algorithm-based modular analysis identified 5 potential module targets of Coix seed for GC. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis demonstrated the vast actions of Coix seed, which involve pathways in cancer, the cell cycle, receptor signal transduction, deoxyribonucleic acid damage response, transcriptional regulation, apoptosis, and cell connections. This study elucidated the potential mechanisms of Coix seed on GC, which may lead to the development of an effective drug. Additionally, this study showed the feasibility of network and modular analysis methods to investigate traditional Chinese medicinal herbal mechanisms and may provide a new angle for further research in the field of anticancer mechanisms and multitarget drugs.

View Article

Probiotic-enriched mung and adzuki bean sprouts demonstrate increased antioxidant potential and exhibit cytostatic and cytotoxic effects on human stomach cancer cells.

2020 Molecules Potentially Bioaccessible Phenolics from Mung Bean and Adzuki Bean Sprouts Enriched with Probiotic—Antioxidant Properties and Effect on the Motility and Survival of AGS Human Gastric Carcinoma Cells Świeca M, Herok A, Piwowarczyk K, Sikora M, Ostanek P, Gawlik-Dziki U, et al.

Experimental Study Adzuki Bean Mung Bean Stomach Cancer

The study utilized mung bean sprouts (MBS) and adzuki bean sprouts (ABS), enriched with probiotic strain 299v, and their gastric digests were tested on human stomach cancer cells, AGS. Differentiation was shown through ABS containing quercetin and kaempferol derivatives while MBS featured kaempferol and apigenin derivatives, each displaying a higher antioxidant potential compared to controls. The viability of AGS reduced notably with low concentrations of ABS extracts, displaying inhibitive action which pointed to their cytostatic effects.

In discussing the results, it is noticed that the sprouts showcased dose-independent cytostatic effects. However, ABS extracts were found to be more effective in reducing the proliferation of AGS, compared to MBS. Notably, the ABS extracts exerted about 70% inhibitions, elucidating their strong inhibitive power. Concurrently, the phytochemicals from these probiotic-enriched sprouts were observed to reduce the associated activity significantly. Observations of increased vinculin level, apoptotic shape of cell nuclei, alongside decreased cell motility and proliferation provide evidence that these extracts exhibited not only cytostatic but also cytotoxic activity.

View Article