Pomegranates May Prevent Breast Cancer

DUARTE, Calif.Eating pomegranates or drinking pomegranate juice may prevent estrogen-responsive breast cancers, says a new study published in Cancer Prevention Research (2009;3(1):10813). The pomegranate fruit is a rich source of the phytochemicals ellagitannins (ET), which were shown inhibited the growth of estrogen-responsive breast cancer in laboratory tests. In these tests, ET inhibited aromatase, a key enzyme used by the body to make estrogen that also plays a key role in breast cancer growth.

Researchers studied a panel of 10 ET-derived compounds including ellagic acid, gallagic acid, and urolithins A and B for their ability to inhibit aromatase activity and testosterone-induced breast cancer cell proliferation. They identified six ET-derived compounds that inhibited aromatase activity, with urolithin B (UB) proving to be most effective in live cells. Further analysis of UB showed mixed inhibition, suggesting more than one inhibitory mechanism. UB also significantly inhibited testosterone-induced MCF-7aro cell proliferation. MCF-7aro is a breast cancer cell line that demonstrates increased cell proliferation in the presence of testosterone. The remaining test compounds also exhibited antiproliferative activity, but to a lesser degree than UB.