Black Raspberries Alter Hundreds of Genes Slowing Cancer

Posted on August 27, 2008  Comments (2)

Black Raspberries Slow Cancer by Alter Hundreds of Genes

Researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center examined the effect of freeze-dried black raspberries on genes altered by a chemical carcinogen in an animal model of esophageal cancer

“We have clearly shown that berries, which contain a variety of anticancer compounds, have a genome-wide effect on the expression of genes involved in cancer development,” says principal investigator Gary D. Stoner

Stoner notes that black raspberries have vitamins, minerals, phenols and phytosterols, many of which individually are known to prevent cancer in animals. “Freeze drying the berries concentrates these elements about ten times, giving us a power pack of chemoprevention agents that can influence the different signaling pathways that are deregulated in cancer,” he says.

Their analyses included measuring the activity, or expression levels, of 41,000 genes. In the carcinogen-treated animals, 2,261 of these genes showed changes in activity of 50 percent or higher.

Pretty cool stuff.

Related: DNA Passed to Descendants Changed by Your LifeCancer Deaths Increasing, Death Rate DecreasingPeople Have More Bacterial Cells than Human CellsEat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

2 Responses to “Black Raspberries Alter Hundreds of Genes Slowing Cancer”

  1. Beth Patterson
    August 27th, 2008 @ 8:09 pm

    I remember hearing about this in the USA today back in April 2005. I guess it took them longer than expected to get the results back. I am impressed with the findings considering it’s simplicity.

    http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-04-10-berry-cancer_x.htm

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