ScienceDaily (Jan. 10, 2009) — Researchers from the University of Granada and the University of Barcelona have shown that treatment with maslinic acid, a triterpenoid compound isolated from olive-skin pomace, results in a significant inhibition of cell proliferation and causes apoptotic death in colon-cancer cells. Maslinic acid is a novel natural compound and it is able to induce apoptosis or programmed death in human HT29 colon-cancer cells via the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway.

New research suggest this could be a useful new therapeutic strategy for the treatment of colon carcinoma.

This study is the first to investigate the precise molecular mechanisms of the anti-tumoral and pro-apoptotic effects of maslinic acid against colon-cancer. Chemopreventive agents of a natural origin, often a part of our daily diet, may provide a cheap, effective way of controlling such diseases as cancer of the colon. A wide range of studies in recent years has shown that triterpenoids hinder carcinogenesis by intervening in pathways such as carcinogen activation, DNA repair, cell cycle arrest, cell differentiation and the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells.

Triterpenoids are compounds present in a wide range of plants used in traditional medicine and known to have antitumoral properties. Low concentrations of maslinic acid are to be found in plants with medicinal properties, but its concentration in the waxy skin of olives may be as high as 80%.

The results of the study could contribute to the development of maslinic acid for use as cancer chemotherapeutic or chemopreventive agents.

Journal reference:

1. Reyeszurita et al. Maslinic acid, a natural triterpene from Olea europaea L., induces apoptosis in HT29 human colon-cancer cells via the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. Cancer Letters, 2009; 273 (1): 44 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2008.07.033

enlarge

Olives. Low concentrations of maslinic acid are to be found in plants with medicinal properties, but its concentration in the waxy skin of olives may be as high as 80%. (Credit: iStockphoto/Vitalina Rybakova)

Related Stories

Compound From Olive-pomace Oil Inhibits HIV Spread (July 11, 2007) — Researchers have verified that maslinic acid -- found in wax from olive skin -- inhibits serin-protease, the enzyme used by HIV to release itself from the infected cell into the extracellular ...  > read more

Novel Marker Of Colon Cancer (Oct. 27, 2008) — The studies examined the gene profiles in non-invasive and invasive colon cancer using laser microdissection and polypeptide analysis. Their result indicated that combined use of polypeptide analysis ...  > read more

Olive Groves May Be Rescued By Helpful Wasp (Mar. 7, 2009) — Olives basking in sunny California groves might find that their new best friend is a small brown wasp. Known to scientists as Psyttalia cf. concolor, the little wasp can help foil the olive fruit ...  > read more

New Anti-cancer Components Of Extra-virgin Olive Oil Revealed (Dec. 27, 2008) — Good quality extra-virgin olive oil contains health-relevant chemicals, 'phytochemicals', that can trigger cancer cell death. New research sheds more light on the suspected association between olive ...  > read more

Search ScienceDaily

Shedding Light On Colon Cancer