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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #164342
Title: BERRIES AND FRUITS IN CANCER CHEMOPREVENTION

Author
item Prior, Ronald
item JOSEPH, J - USDA/ARS

Submitted to: CRC Press
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2004
Publication Date: 3/15/2005
Citation: Prior, R.L., Joseph, J.A. 2005. Berries and fruits in cancer chemoprevention. In: Bagchi, D, Pruess, H. editors. Phytopharmaceuticals in Cancer Chemoprevention. 1st Edition. New York, NY: CRC Press. p. 465-479.

Interpretive Summary: Plants, including food plants (fruits and vegetables), synthesize a vast array of chemical compounds that are not involved in their primary metabolism. These 'secondary compounds' instead serve a variety of ecological functions, ultimately, to enhance the plant's survivability. Interestingly, these compounds also may be responsible for the multitude of beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables on an array of health-related bioactivities. Recent evidence also indicates that many of these compounds from fruits and vegetables may alter additional factors known to be important in carcinogenesis. If this is the case, then it could be postulated the inclusion of an abundance of fruits and vegetables in the diet may significantly reduce the incidence of several forms of cancer. The purpose of this chapter is to briefly discuss the epidemiology of diet and cancer occurrence and to discuss the mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects.

Technical Abstract: Plants, including food plants (fruits and vegetables), synthesize a vast array of chemical compounds that are not involved in their primary metabolism. These 'secondary compounds' instead serve a variety of ecological functions, ultimately, to enhance the plant's survivability. Interestingly, these compounds also may be responsible for the multitude of beneficial effects of fruits and vegetables on an array of health-related bioactivities, two of the most important of which may be their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Recent evidence also indicates that fruit and vegetable derived flavonoids may alter additional factors known to be important in carcinogenesis, including signaling, cell cycle regulation, angiogenesis. If this is the case, then it could be postulated the inclusion of an abundance of fruits and vegetables in the diet may significantly reduce the incidence of several forms of cancer. The purpose of the present chapter is to briefly discuss the epidemiology of diet and cancer occurrence and to discuss the mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects.