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February 23, 2006

Cranberries combat lung cancer

my/DNA.com

WASHINGTON, DC -- Sure, you've heard about the benefits of some daily health regimes: brushing your teeth or taking a multi-vitamin, for example. But could a dose of cranberries every day be good for you, too?

A study conducted by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth found that proanthocyanidins - or PACs, the organic compound found in fruits like grapes and cranberries and woody plants like white pine bark - may inhibit the growth of certain tumor cells, specifically those in the lung and colon, according to the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

After researchers prepared an extract from whole cranberries and isolated the PAC-rich portion, laboratory tests suggested that the fruit's unique A-type structure may be one reason that cranberries are particularly valuable in fighting human cancer cells found in the breast, prostate lung, colon and bone marrow.

According to lead researcher Catherine C. Neto, Ph.D., cranberries, unlike many other chemotherapy agents used to fight cancer, may be able to prevent certain types of tumor growth without damaging nearby healthy cells.

But before you paint the kitchen red with all things cranberry, know that these findings are preliminary.

"We need to take a closer look at the various phytochemicals in cranberries and determine how they work together," Neto said.

The study suggests a number of possible anti-cancer mechanisms in cranberries, including quercetin, a compound that appears to have potential for preventing the spread of cancer into other areas of the body.

So, should you incorporate cranberries into your healthful diet?

"Craisins on my salad, cranberry juice - of course I include them as part of my diet. Why not?" Neto said.