More Science Backs Green Teas Ability to Block Prostate Cancer

Excessive production of the COX-2 enzyme, an enzyme involved in inflammation, is involved in many disease states including cancer. The ability to inhibit COX-2 is a promising target for cancer prevention and even cancer therapy. Recently developed COX-2 specific inhibitors have shown considerable promise in the prevention of some forms of cancer, however their use is limited due to severe toxic effects on healthy tissue cells.

Therefore there is a need for novel and nontoxic dietary ingredients with proven cancer preventing effects through other pathways that inhibit COX-2 but not COX-1. Recent studies on Green Tea and its major polyphenol EGCG have established its remarkable cancer preventive and some cancer treatment effects. In this study researchers form the University of Wisconsin and Case Western Reserve University show that EGCG inhibits COX-2 but not COX-1 in both androgen dependent, and androgen independent human prostate cancer tissue. The study is published in the February 10th 2005 issue of the International Journal of Cancer.

L-Carnitine may Prevent Liver Cancer in Hepatitis Patients

Carcinoma (cancer) of the liver is usually preceded by long-term liver inflammation. The mitochondria is the part of the cell that creates energy. Dysfunction of the mitochondria, and its subsequent generating of free radicals plays an important role in the creation of liver cancer. These researchers have previously proven that L-Carnitine effectively protects mitochondrial function in living animals.

In this study the researchers investigated whether long-term administration of L-Carnitine could prevent liver cancer in rats typically used as a model of liver cancer development. L-Carnitine significantly inhibited the formation of free radicals that cause mitochondrial dysfunction and liver cell death. Markers of the formation of liver cancer were also significantly inhibited. The study shows that mitochondrial injury plays an essential role in the formation of liver cancer and that supplementation with L-Carnitine has excellent therapeutic potential in patients with chronic hepatitis. The study is published in the February 20th, 2005 issue of the International Journal of Cancer.