This article contains findings obtained from research on animals:
- The results from animal research studies should not be directly applied to humans and the results may not generalise to the human population.
- There may be significant differences between species in terms of physiology, physiology, and pharmacology, as well as differences in the way diseases and treatments are modelled in animals.
- Any conclusions drawn from animal research should be considered with caution and in the context of other types of research studies such as observational studies, clinical trials, and reviews of the literature.
Insights & Discussion
Blueberries can reduce the proliferation of ovarian cancer cells by downregulating the levels of specific biomarkers, exhibiting potential for non-pharmaceutical therapy.
The research method involved the overexpression or silencing of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2, known biomarkers of ovarian cancer, in SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells. The effect of blueberries on the cells' viability was then measured utilizing a colorimetric assay known as an MTT test. Additionally, a mouse model for ovarian cancer was established to further this investigation.
The results revealed that the administration of blueberries led to the inhibition of ovarian cancer cell proliferation, primarily through decreased levels of COX-1 and COX-2. Furthermore, regular consumption of blueberries greatly reduced the tumor size in the ovarian cancer mouse model compared to the control without blueberry treatment. This indicates that blueberries might have considerable potential as a natural therapy for ovarian cancer due to fewer side effects and high effectiveness.
Discover Related Insights
Greater intake of blueberries considerably decreases the risk of age-related macular degeneration, while a remarkable dietary intake of anthocyanins inversely correlates with cataract incidents.
2024 The Journal of Nutrition Intake of Blueberries, Anthocyanins, and Risk of Eye Disease in Women Sesso HD, Rautiainen S, Park SJ, Kim E, Lee IM, Glynn RJ, et al.
Cohort Study Age-Related Macular Degeneration Anthocyanins Blueberry
Middle-aged and older women, numbering 36,653 and 35,402 originally without cataract and AMD, provided data for the study via semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires. Insights were derived on the consumption of blueberries by these women, with frequency varied from none to over two servings weekly. Additionally, total anthocyanin consumption was analysed, with major subclasses adjusted for energy and then into quintiles. Self-reported risk factors for eye diseases were adjusted in the multivariable hazard ratios.
On analysis, it was found that a significant portion of participants consumed a minimum of one serving of blueberries weekly. Thus, compared to no blueberry intake, it was observed that those consuming the fruit exhibited a decrease in the total instances of AMD, while visually significant AMD remained unaffected. Furthermore, dietary anthocyanin showed a modest yet significant inverse association with cataract occurrences, but no notable correlation with AMD.
The anthocyanins from the Gardenblue variety of blueberries exhibit strong antiproliferative effects on various cancer cells, especially liver cancer cells.
2023 Molecules The Extraction and High Antiproliferative Effect of Anthocyanin from Gardenblue Blueberry Zhao F, Wang J, Wang W, Lyu L, Wu W, Li W
Experimental Study Blueberry
65 varieties of blueberries were collected, focusing on their nutritional and functional values. Among these, the Gardenblue variety showed the highest anthocyanin content in fresh fruit. This content was further increased through the process of ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction and macroporous resin absorption, transforming it into a dried powder. Biological experiments were then conducted to determine the antiproliferative effects of Gardenblue anthocyanins on various cancer cell strains, such as cervical, liver, breast, and lung cells. Furthermore, these anthocyanins were combined with the chemotherapy drugs, cisplatin and doxorubicin, to assess any potential enhanced antiproliferative effects.
The research results confirmed that Gardenblue anthocyanins exert a substantial antiproliferative effect on multiple cancer cell types, particularly hepatoma or liver cancer cells. These anthocyanins displayed no evident toxic effects, as measured by the MTT assay, a laboratory colorimetric technique. Notably, the antiproliferative benefits were amplified when the anthocyanins were combined with doxorubicin, a treatment for liver cancer. Analysis suggests that the anthocyanins might induce cell apoptosis (cell death) by bonding with DNA in a manner that modifies or damages the DNA, thus preventing cell proliferation. This suggests potential application of Gardenblue anthocyanin extract as a functional agent against liver cancer cells.
Moderate consumption of blueberries may effectively reduce bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women.
2023 The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Moderate consumption of freeze-dried blueberry powder increased net bone calcium retention compared with no treatment in healthy postmenopausal women: a randomized crossover trial Hodges JK, Maiz M, Cao S, Lachcik PJ, Peacock M, McCabe GP, et al.
Experimental Study Blueberry Bone Calcium
The research began with a blueberry dose-response study with ovariectomized rats, used as an experimental model simulating postmenopausal conditions. These rats were fed with various doses of blueberry powder, with the aim to identify an optimal dosage for bone calcium retention. The experiment then translated to a human study where fourteen healthy women, all more than four years past menopause, were examined. A baseline was established, and then each participant was provided with varying dosages of freeze-dried blueberry powder equivalent to defined portions of fresh blueberries, to be consumed daily for a series of six weeks at a time. Tracing calcium in the urine was employed as a method to monitor bone calcium balances in both the rat and human trials.
The collected data indicated that both the rat and human subjects benefited from blueberry interventions at lower doses. Higher doses, however, showed no such beneficial impact on bone calcium balance. In human subjects, net bone calcium retention increased with low and medium doses of blueberry consumption. Increased urinary excretion of hippuric acid, a metabolite of the antioxidants present in blueberries, was observed with an increase in blueberry consumption. No significant associations were found between bone resorption biomarkers and the interventions implemented in the study.
Consumption of blueberry supplement did not show significant improvement in metabolic health markers, however, it induced changes in gene expression, indicating a potential longer-term effect.
2021 Genes & Nutrition An 8-week freeze-dried blueberry supplement impacts immune-related pathways: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial Rousseau M, Horne J, Guénard F, de Toro-Martín J, Garneau V, Guay V, et al.
Randomised Controlled Trial Blueberry
The methodology of the study involved a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled intervention trial conducted with adults at risk of developing Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Participants, consisting of 49 individuals, were asked to consume 50 grams daily of either a freeze-dried highbush blueberry powder or a placebo powder for a duration of 8 weeks. Metabolic Syndrome phenotypes were evaluated at the beginning, 4 weeks in, and at the end of the trial. To assess any metabolic changes, fasting blood gene expression profiles and plasma metabolomic profiles were observed at the start and the end of the 8 weeks.
In examining the results, while significant change was reported for plasma triglyceride levels, the findings did not remain significant after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and baseline values. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed with respect to body weight, blood pressure, fasting plasma lipid, insulin and glucose levels, insulin sensitivity, or glycated hemoglobin concentrations when comparing the blueberry supplement with the placebo. The distinctive findings were in gene expressions and the presence of certain metabolites. The blueberry supplement caused significant changes in 49 gene expressions and the abundance of 35 metabolites, and these differentially regulated genes largely belonged to immune-related pathways.
Blueberry intake for four weeks decreased levels of a biomarker for oxidative DNA damage in postmenopausal women with pre and early stage hypertension.
2017 Food & Function Effects of daily blueberry consumption on circulating biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and antioxidant defense in postmenopausal women with pre- and stage 1-hypertension: a randomized controlled trial Johnson SA, Feresin RG, Navaei N, Figueroa A, Elam ML, Akhavan NS, et al.
Clinical Study Blueberry
In the experiment, a randomized, parallel-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out with 40 postmenopausal women, aged 45 to 65 years, who were either pre or at stage 1 of hypertension. The participants were randomly divided into two, where one group ingested 22 g of freeze-dried highbush blueberry powder every day and the other a placebo. The biomarkers for oxidative DNA damage, oxidative stress, inflammation, and antioxidant defense were evaluated at the commencement, in the middle, and at the end of the eight week period.
The levels of the biomarker for oxidative DNA damage, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), were found to drop significantly in the group consuming blueberries at the end of the fourth week when compared to the placebo group. However, the levels didn't show a significant difference between the groups at the end of the eighth week. No noteworthy changes were observed in the other measured biomarkers as a result of blueberry consumption.
Sign In
Users not signed in are limited to viewing the 5 most recent items of content.