Pomegranate Juice Inhibits Cancer Metastasis

RIVERSIDE, Calif.Pomegranate juice may stop prostate cancer from metastasizing to the bone, according to new research from the University of California, Riverside. The findings, presented at the 50th annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology taking place in Philadelphia, could lead to new therapies for preventing cancer metastasis.

Researchers applied pomegranate juice on laboratory-cultured prostate cancer cells that were resistant to testosterone and found the pomegranate juice-treated tumor cells that had not died with the treatment showed increased cell adhesion and decreased cell migration. Next, the researchers identified the following active groups of ingredients in pomegranate juice that had a molecular impact on cell adhesion and migration in metastatic prostate cancer cellsphenylpropanoids, hydrobenzoic acids, flavones and conjugated fatty acids

Having identified them, we can now modify cancer-inhibiting components in pomegranate juice to improve their functions and make them more effective in preventing prostate cancer metastasis, leading to more effective drug therapies," the researchers said. Because the genes and proteins involved in the movement of prostate cancer cells are essentially the same as those involved in the movement of other types of cancer cells, the same modified components of the juice could have a much broader impact in cancer treatment."

They noted that an important protein produced in the bone marrow causes the cancer cells to move to the bone where they can then form new tumors.

We show that pomegranate juice markedly inhibits the function of this protein, and thus this juice has the potential of preventing metastasis of the prostate cancer cells to the bone," they said.