The Zimmerman File – April, 2011 - NHRI



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.[i]

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.

The growing consensus among scientists is that groups of related of phytochemicals that naturally occur in food offer greater disease prevention than isolated, single phytochemicals. The take home message from this is that a diverse colorful diet offers the best health insurance.[ii] For example, in one study, Harvard’s Edward Giovannuci, M.D. Sc.D. and colleagues found that dietary beta carotene but not supplemental beta carotene was protective against repeated urinary tract symptoms in a large group of Boston men.[iii]

Another study was done by Harvard researchers and this time the subjects were women who were part of the large ongoing Nurse’s Health Study. The highest intakes of fruit and vegetables were associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In the first study, consumption of green leafy vegetables, and carotene-rich fruits and vegetables, was associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease among women who ate a moderate carbohydrate diet. Among those who followed a low-carbohydrate diet, only vegetable intake seemed to modify risk.[iv] This finding isn’t surprising since fruits contain primarily carbohydrate and would presumably be avoided when cutting carbs.

A study done by Tufts University researchers, examined the intake of fruit, fruit juice and vegetables for their role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Consumption of green leafy vegetables and fruit was associated with reduced risk while consumption of fruit juice raised the risk.[v] Fruit juice is very high in sugars without the benefit of fiber to slow down the absorption of these sugars.

These studies highlight the importance of balance between carbohydrates, proteins and fats in a good diet. Moreover, they emphasize that whole colorful foods are the best disease preventive. The less processing a food undergoes, the better.

Phytochemicals are pigments in fruits, vegetables and other whole foods. That is why eating a colorful diet is the best way to insure maximum health promoting benefits. The following table is a phytochemical “cheat sheet.” It lists foods – some by color – the phytochemicals they contain, and what these do to prevent disease.

Foods to Keep Cells Happy

|Food |Phytonutrients |What They Do |

|Olive Oil |Phenolic compounds |Prevent cellular injury[vi] |

|Fish |Omega-3 fatty acids |Combat chronic inflammation, improved mood, |

| | |metal capabilities[vii],[viii] |

|Red wine |Resveratrol, anthocyanidins |Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, |

| | |anti-atherogenic[ix] |

|Whole grains |Phytosterols, saponins, fiber, lignin, |Affect enzymatic and cellular signaling |

| |minerals, vitamin E |pathways[x] |

|Cruciferous vegetables, garlic |Indol-3-carbinol, sulforaphane, diallyl |Boost internal detoxification |

| |sulfides |systems[xi],[xii],[xiii] |

|Green leafy vegetables |Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) |Enhances apoptosis of dysfunctional cells, |

| | |anti-inflammatory[xiv] |

|Red, orange, yellow and yellow- green |Carotenes, lycopene, xanthophylls, phytofluene |Activate detox enzymes, antioxidants, some |

|vegetables | |pro-vitamin A[xv],[xvi] |

|Red, orange, yellow, purple fruits |Ellagic acid, limonene, proanthocyanidins, |Chemopreventive, chemotherapeutic agents, |

| |hesperidin, quercetin |protect DNA from |

| | |damage[xvii],[xviii],[xix],[xx] |

|Cheese |Vitamin K2 (menoquinone) |May arrest progression of harmful cells[xxi] |

|Coffee (reg. or decaf.) |Chlorogenic, caffeic acids |May reduce neoplastic |

| | |transformation[xxii],[xxiii] |

|Green Tea |Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) |Antioxidant, chemopreventive[xxiv] |

|Cocoa |Procyanidins |Antioxidant, may inhibit cell |

| | |transformation[xxv] |

|Soy Foods |Genistein, isoflavones, phytosterols, saponins,|Associated with reduced risk of prostate, |

| |phytic acid, phospholipids, fiber |breast, colon cancer[xxvi] |

|Flaxseed, nuts |α-Linolenic acid, lignan, fiber, phenolic |Chemoprotective[xxvii] |

| |compounds | |

In addition to foods, spices contain numerous chemopreventive phytochemicals. Some worthy of mention are capsaicin in red peppers that increases tumor cell apoptosis;[xxviii] gingerol from ginger root which inhibits tumor growth;[xxix] and curcumin (turmeric) that has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic effects.[xxx] Spices have been used throughout history, not only to season foods, but for their medicinal qualities.

References

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[i] 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.

[ii] Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center Report, USDA; April2, 2000.

[iii] Maserejian NN, Giovannucci EL, McVary KT, McKinlay JB.; “Dietary, but not supplemental, intakes of carotenoids and vitamin C are associated with decreased odds of lower urinary tract symptoms in men” J Nutr. 2011 Feb;141(2):267-73. Epub 2010 Dec 22.

[iv] Joshipura, KJ; et al.; “Intakes of fruits, vegetables and carbohydrate and the risk of CVD” Public Health Nutr. 2009;12:115-121.

[v] Bazzano LA; et al.; “Intake of Fruit, Vegetables, and Fruit Juices and Risk of Diabetes in Women” Diabetes Care 2008;31:1311-1317.

Pauwels EKJ; “The Protective Effect of the Mediterranean Diet: Focus on Cancer and Cardiovascular Risk” Med Princ Pract 2011;20:103-111.

[vi] Ibid

[vii] Przemyslaw S.; et al.; “5-Lipoxygenase Metabolite 4-HDHA Is a Mediator of the Antiangiogenic Effect of W-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids” stm. 2011;3:691-12.

[viii] Jang, M; et al.; “Cancer Chemoprevention Activity of Resveratrol, a Natural Product Derived from Grapes” Science 1997;275:218-77.

[ix] Okarter N.; Liu, Rui Hai; “Health Benefits of Whole Grain Phytochemicals” Crit Rev in Food Science and Nutrition 2010;50:193-208.

[x] Barcelo, S; et al.; “CYP2E1-Mediated Mechanism of Anti-Genotoxicity of the Broccoli Constituent Sulforophane” Carcinogenesis 1996;17:277-82.

[xi] Vang, O; et al.; “Chemopreventive Effect of Dietary Broccoli on Carcinogenesis (Meeting abstract) J Cell Biochem 1996;(Suppl 19A):198.

[xii] 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 Biophys Acta 1998;1379:325-36.

[xiii] Shearer MJ; Newman, P; “Metabolism and Cell Biology of Vitamin K” Thromb Haemost. 2008;100:530-47.

[xiv] Collins, AR; et al; “Serum Carotenoids and Oxidative DNA Damage in Human Lymphocytes” Carcinogenesis 1998;19:2159-62.

[xv] Colditz, GA; “Increased Green and Yellow Vegetable Intake and Lowered Cancer Deaths in an Elderly Population” Am J Clin Nutr 1985;41:32-6.

[xvi] 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

[xvii] 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]

[xviii] 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]

[xix] Zhang M.; et al.; “Antioxidant properties of quercetin” Adv Exp Med Biol. 2011;915:283-9.

[xx] 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 J Clin Nutr [epub. Ahead of print] doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.28691.

[xxi] Karikas, GA; “Anticancer and Chemopreventing Natural Products: Some Biochemical and Therapeutic Aspects” J Buon. 2010; 15:627-38.

[xxii] 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.

[xxiii] Surh, Y-J.; “Transcription Factors in the Cellular Signaling Network as Prime Targets of Chemopreventive Phytochemicals” Can Res Treatment 2004;36:275-286.

[xxiv] 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.

[xxv] Park, OJ; Surh, YJ; “Chemopreventive Potential fo Epigallocatechin Gallate and Genistein: Evidence from Epidemiological and Laboratory Studies” Toxicol Lett 2004;150:43-56.

[xxvi] Singh KK; et al; “Flaxseed: a potential source of food, feed and fiber” Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2011;51(3):210-22.

[xxvii] Surh, YJ; “More Than Spice: Capsaicin in Hot Chili Peppers Makes Tumor Cells Commit Suicide” J Nat Cancer Institute 2002;94:1263-1265.

[xxviii] &'(KLNe z { | } é êÕêÀ¦Œs\À@À's0h)[xxix]›hòC20J5?B*[pic]CJOJ[xxx]QJ[xxxi]^J[xxxii]aJph6jhòC2hr ................
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