The Zimmerman File: Happy Camper Cells
By Marcia Zimmerman, CN, April, 2011
“A vast array of phytochemicals present in our daily diet has been found to possess substantial
antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic activities. The chemopreventive effects of edible phytochemicals are often attributed to their antioxidative and/or anti-inflammatory activities.” Young-Joon Surh Ph.D.1
Key Words: phytochemicals, zoochemicals, chemopreventive, chemotherapeutic, antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic
Phytochemicals are a group of nutritive components found in herbs, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and spices. Animal foods contain a similar group of disease-preventing nutrients – the term zoochemical has been suggested for them. Phytochemicals and zoochemicals – unlike proteins, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals – are not considered essential for life and have therefore been assigned quasi-nutrient status. Several disease-preventive benefits have been proposed for phytochemicals and zoochemicals. Information about the chemopreventive effects of foods in the human diet has been gleaned from large epidemiological studies.
The mechanisms by which phytochemicals protect cells have come from laboratory studies on human cells and animal studies. In this article, we will focus on what scientists have learned about the cell protective effects of phytochemicals in food.
Foods to Keep Cells Happy
Food
/Phytonutrients
/What They Do
Olive Oil / Phenolic compounds / Prevent cellular injury2Fish / Omega-3 fatty acids / Combat chronic inflammation, improved mood, metal capabilities3,4
Red wine / Resveratrol, anthocyanidins / Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-atherogenic5
Whole grains / Phytosterols, saponins, fiber, lignin, minerals, vitamin E / Affect enzymatic and cellular signaling pathways6
Cruciferous vegetables, garlic / Indol-3-carbinol, sulforaphane, diallyl sulfides / Boost internal detoxification systems7,8,9
Green leafy vegetables / Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) / Enhances apoptosis of dysfunctional cells, anti-inflammatory10
Red, orange, yellow and yellow- green vegetables / Carotenes, lycopene, xanthophylls, phytofluene / Activate detox enzymes, antioxidants, some pro-vitamin
A11,12
Red, orange, yellow, purple fruits / Ellagic acid, limonene, proanthocyanidins, hesperidin, quercetin / Chemopreventive, chemotherapeutic agents, protect DNA from damage13,14,15,16
Cheese / Vitamin K2 (menoquinone) / May arrest progression of harmful cells17
Coffee (reg. or decaf.) / Chlorogenic, caffeic acids / May reduce neoplastic transformation18,19
Green Tea / Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) / Antioxidant, chemopreventive20
Cocoa / Procyanidins / Antioxidant, may inhibit cell transformation21
Soy Foods / Genistein, isoflavones, phytosterols, saponins, phytic acid, phospholipids, fiber / Associated with reduced risk of prostate, breast, colon cancer22
Flaxseed, nuts / α-Linolenic acid, lignan, fiber, phenolic compounds / Chemoprotective23
In addition to foods, spices contain numerous chemopreventive phytochemicals. Some worthy of mention are capsaicin in red peppers that increases tumor cell apoptosis;24 gingerol from ginger root which inhibits tumor growth;25 and curcumin (turmeric) that has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic effects.26 Spices have been used throughout history not only to season foods, but for their medicinal qualities.
References:
Surh, Y-J.; et al.; “Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Chemopreventive Activities of Anti-Inflammatory Phytochemicals: Down-Regulation of COX-2 and iNOS Through Suppression of NF-kappa B Activation” Mutat Res. 2001;480-481:243-68.
2 Pauwels EKJ; “The Protective Effect of the Mediterranean Diet: Focus on Cancer and Cardiovascular Risk” Med Princ Pract 2011;20:103-111.
3 Ibid
4 Przemyslaw S.; et al.; “5-Lipoxygenase Metabolite 4-HDHA Is a Mediator of the Antiangiogenic Effect of W-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids” stm.sciencemag.org 2011;3:691-12.
5 Jang, M; et al.; “Cancer Chemoprevention Activity of Resveratrol, a Natural Product Derived from Grapes” Science 1997;275:218-77.
6 Okarter N.; Liu, Rui Hai; “Health Benefits of Whole Grain Phytochemicals” Crit Rev in Food Science and Nutrition 2010;50:193-208.
7 Barcelo, S; et al.; “CYP2E1-Mediated Mechanism of Anti-Genotoxicity of the Broccoli Constituent Sulforophane” Carcinogenesis1996;17:277-82.
8 Vang, O; et al.; “Chemopreventive Effect of Dietary Broccoli on Carcinogenesis (Meeting abstract) J Cell Biochem 1996;(Suppl 19A):198.
9 Van Lieshout, EM; et al.; “Effects of the Sulforophane Analog Compound 30, Indole-3-Carbinol, D-Limonene or Relafen on Glutathione S-Transferases and Gluatathione Peroxidase of the Rat Digestive Tract” Biochem BiophysActa 1998;1379:325-36.
10 Shearer MJ; Newman, P; “Metabolism and Cell Biology of Vitamin K” Thromb Haemost. 2008;100:530-47.
11 Collins, AR; et al; “Serum Carotenoids and Oxidative DNA Damage in Human Lymphocytes” Carcinogenesis 1998;19:2159-62.
12 Colditz, GA; “Increased Green and Yellow Vegetable Intake and Lowered Cancer Deaths in an Elderly Population” Am J Clin Nutr 1985;41:32-6.
13Maltzman, TH; et al.; “Effects of Monoterpenes on in Vivo DMBA-DNA adduct formation and on Phase I Hepatic Metabolizing Enzymes” Carcinogenesis 1991;12:2081-7
14 Ghorbani A; et al.; “The Citrus Flavonoid Hesperidin Induces P53 and Inhibits NF-kB activation in Order to Trigger Apoptosis in NALM-6 Cells: Involvement of PPARy-Dependent Mechanism” Eur J Nutr 2011; [epub ahead of print]
15 Nazari M; et al; “Inactivation of Nuclear Factor-kB by Citrus Flavanone Hesperidin Contributes to Apoptosis and Chemosensitizing Effect in Ramos Cells” Eur J Pharmacol 2011 650:526-33. [epub ahead of print]
16 Zhang M.; et al.; “Antioxidant properties of quercetin” Adv Exp Med Biol. 2011;915:283-9.
17 Nimptsch, K.; et al; “Dietary Vitamin K Intake in Relation to Cancer Incidence and Mortality: Results from the Heidelberg Cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Heidelberg)” Am JClin Nutr [epub. Ahead of print] doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28691.
18Karikas, GA; “Anticancer and Chemopreventing Natural Products: Some Biochemical and Therapeutic Aspects” J Buon. 2010; 15:627-38.
19 Kang, NJ.; et al.; “Caffeic Acid, A Phenolic Phytochemical in Coffee, Directly Inhibits Fyn Kinase Activity and UVB-Induced COX-2 Expression.” Carcinogenesis 2009;30:321-330.
20 Surh, Y-J.; “Transcription Factors in the Cellular Signaling Network as Prime Targets of Chemopreventive Phytochemicals” Can Res Treatment 2004;36:275-286.
21Kang, NJ et al.; “Cocoa Procyanidins Suppress Transformation by Inhibiting Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase* [S with combining enclosing square] J Biol Chem 2008;283:20664-20673.
22 Park, OJ; Surh, YJ; “Chemopreventive Potential fo Epigallocatechin Gallate and Genistein: Evidence from Epidemiological and Laboratory Studies” Toxicol Lett 2004;150:43-56.
23Singh KK; et al; “Flaxseed: a potential source of food, feed and fiber” Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2011 Mar;51(3):210-22.
24 Surh, YJ; “More Than Spice: Capsaicin in Hot Chili Peppers Makes Tumor Cells Commit Suicide” J Nat CancerInstitute 2002;94:1263-1265.
25Tuntiwechapikul W; et al.; “Ginger extract inhibits human telomerase reverse transcriptase and c-Myc expression in A549 lung cancer cells” J Med Food 2010 Dec;13(6):1347-54.
26Carroll RE.; et al.; “Phase IIa Clinical Trial of Curcumin for the Prevention of Colorectal Neoplasia” Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2011 Mar;4(3):354-64.