Download The Zimmerman File: Happy Camper Cells

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
Olive Oil
Fish
Phytonutrients
Phenolic compounds
Omega-3 fatty acids
Red wine
Resveratrol, anthocyanidins
Whole grains
Green leafy vegetables
Phytosterols, saponins, fiber,
lignin, minerals, vitamin E
Indol-3-carbinol, sulforaphane,
diallyl sulfides
Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone)
Red, orange, yellow and yellowgreen vegetables
Carotenes, lycopene,
xanthophylls, phytofluene
Red, orange, yellow, purple fruits
Cheese
Ellagic acid, limonene,
proanthocyanidins, hesperidin,
quercetin
Vitamin K2 (menoquinone)
Coffee (reg. or decaf.)
Chlorogenic, caffeic acids
Green Tea
Cocoa
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
Procyanidins
Soy Foods
Genistein, isoflavones,
phytosterols, saponins, phytic
acid, phospholipids, fiber
α-Linolenic acid, lignan, fiber,
phenolic compounds
Cruciferous vegetables, garlic
Flaxseed, nuts
What They Do
Prevent cellular injury2
Combat chronic inflammation,
improved mood, metal
capabilities3,4
Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,
anti-atherogenic5
Affect enzymatic and cellular
signaling pathways6
Boost internal detoxification
systems7,8,9
Enhances apoptosis of
dysfunctional cells, antiinflammatory10
Activate detox enzymes,
antioxidants, some pro-vitamin
A11,12
Chemopreventive,
chemotherapeutic agents, protect
DNA from damage13,14,15,16
May arrest progression of
harmful cells17
May reduce neoplastic
transformation18,19
Antioxidant, chemopreventive20
Antioxidant, may inhibit cell
transformation21
Associated with reduced risk of
prostate, breast, colon cancer22
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” Carcinogenesis 1996;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, DLimonene or Relafen on Glutathione S-Transferases and Gluatathione Peroxidase of the Rat Digestive
Tract” Biochem Biophys Acta 1998;1379:325-36.
10 Shearer MJ; Newman, P; “Metabolism and Cell Biology of Vitamin K” Thromb Haemost. 2008;100:53047.
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.
13 Maltzman, 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.
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 (EPICHeidelberg)” Am J Clin Nutr [epub. Ahead of print] doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28691.
18 Karikas, 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.
21 Kang, 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.
17
Singh 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
Cancer Institute 2002;94:1263-1265.
25
Tuntiwechapikul 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.
26
Carroll 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.
23