Oct. 21, 2005 -- A growing body of research suggests eating plenty of fruits
Oct. 21, 2005 -- A growing body of research suggests eating plenty of fruits and vegetables may protect against prostate cancer. But few studies have explored why.
Scientists at Case Western Reserve University credit a common flavonoid, called apigenin, which is found in many fruits, vegetables, and herbs, including onions, parsley, and chamomile. The have been linked to the improvement of ailments from heart disease to cancer.
In a study published in the Oct. 17 online edition of The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal, the researchers found apigenin significantly slowed the growth of prostate cancer in mice without causing adverse side effects. "Our findings suggest that apigenin could be developed as a promising agent against prostate cancer," Sanjay Gupta, PhD, assistant professor in the Case School of Medicine's department of urology, says in a news release.
In the study, the team fed apigenin to two groups of mice for eight weeks. The first group began receiving apigenin two weeks before implantation of a prostate tumor, while the second group began receiving apigenin two weeks after the tumors were implanted. The apigenin slowed tumor growth in both groups, but the larger effect occurred in the mice that received apigenin before tumor implantation. Neither group of mice showed any change in appetite or other adverse effects.
The researchers found that the mice given apigenin had reduced levels of a growth factor called IGF-1, which is a protein made and distributed in your body that promotes the growth of tissues and organs all over the body. IGF-1 levels have been associated with increased risk of prostate, breast, colorectal, and lung cancers, according to a news release from Case Western University.
"Apigenin may prove useful in the prevention and therapy of prostate cancer by shutting off the IGF signaling that leads to prostate cancer cell growth and/or development," Gupta says.
