Apples are effective against breast cancer
HEALTH BENEFITS, NUTRITION FACTS AND RESEARCH
Health benefits of apples:
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cholesterol-lowering
Apples are a source of:
Vitamin C, potassium, fibre (insoluble and soluble-pectin)
Cancer-fighting compounds of apples:
Anthocyanins (water‐soluble flavonoids, plant pigments widely present in red, purple and blue fruits):
- shown to have antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and anti‐mutagenic properties
- inhibit the cancer cell growth and metastasis
- may change pharmacokinetics and reverse multi-drug resistance
Phloretin (flavonoid – dihydrochalcone):
- slows down the migration of human breast cancer
- induces apoptosis in various human cancer cells, including breast cancer
- shown to inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer
- may enhance the effect of commercial chemotherapeutic drugs such as Paclitaxel
Quercetin (flavonoid):
- suppresses the growth of breast cancer stem cells, their self-renewal and invasiveness
- shown to cause cellular death of cancer cell lines
- increases breast cancer cells chemosensitivity to Doxorubicin
- potential cancer drug due to its ability to target and destroy breast cancer stem cells
- interferes with the growth of ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer cells
Ursolic acid:
- anti‑inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-carcinogenic effects in several human breast cancer cells
- induces autophagy and apoptosis, and suppresses inflammatory responses
- shown to reverse the chemoresistance of breast cancer cells to Paclitaxel
- has the ability to inhibit breast cancer proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis, arrest cell cycle, scavenge free radicals and regulate several anti-apoptotic and pro-apoptotic proteins
- suppresses the migration and metastasis of the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line
NOTES:
Organic, fresh, ripened, red-skinned apples should be consumed with their peel as it offers the most nutrients.
