betalains and Neoplasms

Carcinogenesis is the process whereby a normal cell is transformed into a neoplastic cell. This action involves several steps starting with initiation and followed by promotion and progression. Driving these stages are oxidative stress and inflammation, which in turn encompasses a myriad of aberrant gene expressions, both within the transforming cell population and the cells within the surrounding lesion. Chemoprevention of cancer with bioreactive foods or their extracted/purified components occurs via normalizing these inappropriate gene activities. Various foods/agents have been shown to affect different gene expressions. In this review, we discuss whereby the chemoprevention activities of the red beetroot itself may disrupt carcinogenesis and the activities of the water-soluble betalains extracted from the plant.

Topics: Animals; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Antioxidants; Beta vulgaris; Betalains; Carcinogenesis; Cell Line, Tumor; Flavonols; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Mice; Neoplasm Proteins; Neoplasms; Phenols; Plant Extracts; Plant Roots; Triterpenes; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Juices of nine prickly pears (Opuntia spp.) were characterized in terms of color, acidity, sugar content, phenolics, flavonoids, betalains and antioxidant activity and tested in vitro against four cancer cell lines. The juices had pH s, acidities and sugar ranging from 4.27 to 5.46, 0.03 to 0.27% and 8 to 14.7 degrees Brix, respectively. Juices also varied in color from white to purple and contained total phenolics, flavonoids, betaxanthins, betacyanins and antioxidant capacity ranging from 22 to 226 microg gallic acid eq/g, 95 to 374 microg quercetin eq/g, 3 to 189 microg/g, 1.6 to 300 microg/g and 17 to 25 micromoles Trolox eq./mL, respectively. Among the cancer lines tested, viability of prostate and colon cells were the most affected. Moradillo contained the highest flavonoids and diminished both prostate and colon cancer cell viability without affecting mammary or hepatic cancer cells. Rastrero reduced the growth of the four cancer cell lines without affecting normal fibroblast viability. The research shows intervarietal differences among prickly pears in terms of juice properties and phytochemicals that could prevent oxidative stress and cancer.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Antioxidants; Betalains; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Colonic Neoplasms; Female; Flavonoids; Fruit; Humans; Male; Neoplasms; Opuntia; Phenols; Phytotherapy; Plant Preparations; Prostatic Neoplasms