Resveratrol and Cancer Prevention:

Subject: Resveratrol a a chemical constituent of grapes has been shown to inhibt growth of several cancer types.

The grape vines I planted last Spring are growing unbelievably slow: We'll move before I ever get to taste their fruit. In contrast to my slow growing grapes, scientific interest in grapes and their constituents is growing faster than I can keep up with. The interest was initially fueled by the "French Paradox." Though it sounds like a good title for a movie, the French Paradox refers to the fact that the French have a low incidence of heart disease despite a high fat diet that should have increased their disease rates. Part of the explanation has been attributed to the large amount of red wine in their diet.There are a number of protective factors that have been isolated in grapes. One of these chemicals called Resveratrol is about to become a hot item.

Since the beginning of this year Resveratrol has found a new use: cancer prevention and treatment. This coming September, Cancer Letters will publish a study saying that Resveratrol can slow the growth rate of colon cancer cells by 70%.[1] A study published in June stated that , "Resveratrol influences dose dependently the proliferative and apoptotic activity of human tumor and endothelial cells.......Higher doses (10.0-100.0 microg/ml) induce apoptosis and decrease mitotic activity, ......"[2] Another June study showed that breast cancer cells, especially hormone dependent cell lines, were likewise slowed.[3] In May, a study showed a similar dose dependent inhibition of leukemia cells in part by inducing apoptosis.[4] Last February AntiCancer Research published a study in which 4 days of treatment with Resveratrol decreased PSA secretion by prostate cancer cells by 80%.[5] One unusual use for Resveratrol has been suggested. It might provide a method of "purging" the bone marrow of cancerous cells during a bone marrow transplant.[6]

Another study published back in June suggested an additional reason why the French diet works. The effect of Resveratrol in the body is limited to some degree by a process called sulfation. How fast Resveratrol is sulfated in the liver and made inactive is hindered by certain chemicals, most notably by the flavonoid quercetin. High levels of quercetin in the diet increase the action of Resveratrol. [7] The best food sources of quercetin are onions, wine, and apples, all well represented in the French diet. Alcohol seems to directly enhance the ability of resveratrol to inhibit cell growth,[8]: two arguments in favor of wine.

Older research (way back from the last century, 1999) strongly suggests that Resveratrol has a role in preventing and treating prostate cancer[9], oral squamous cell carcinoma[10], and leukemia.[11]

The potential of this substance appears to be at all stages of cancer prevention and treatment. It prevents initiation of cancer at its earliest stages with antioxidant and anti mutagenic properties. It is a cyclooxygenase inhibitor and induces phase II liver enzymes responsible for carcinogen detoxification. It has anti inflammatory effects, inhibiting the production of arachidonic metabolites by cycloxgenases. It prevents progression by inducing cancer cells to differentiate normally. It counteracts cancer cell induction by various toxic substances. It lowers levels of dangerous highly reactive oxygen chemicals and restores glutathione levels.[12]

Trust me, it doesn't get better than this.

Though originally isolated from grapes, the best commercial source for Resveratrol is a Chinese herb, Polygonum cuspidatum.

We will begin selling Resveratrol in our office pharmacy. We have found a product that is an extract of Polygonum cuspidatum in 200 mg capsules standardized to 20% total resveratrols. The price is $15.50 for bottles of 60 capsules or $27 for bottles of 120. At this time the suggested dose is just one capsule per day. This dose was established based on estimates needed for cardiovascular protection. The manufacturer was still unaware of this new burst of cancer research when I contacted them and we may see dose changes.

Obviously it's time to learn how to pronounce this word

References:
1. Schneider Y, Vincent F, Duranton B, Badolo L, Gosse F, Bergmann C, Seiler N, Raul F. Anti-proliferative effect of resveratrol, a natural component of grapes and wine, on human colonic cancer cells. Cancer Lett 2000 Sep 29;158(1):85-91.
2.Szende B, Tyihak E, Kiraly-Veghely Z . Dose-dependent effect of resveratrol on proliferation and apoptosis in endothelial and tumor cell cultures. Exp Mol Med 2000 Jun 30;32(2):88-92.
3. Damianaki A, Bakogeorgou E, Kampa M, Notas G, Hatzoglou A, Panagiotou S, Gemetzi C, Kouroumalis E, Martin PM, Castanas E. Potent inhibitory action of red wine polyphenols on humanbreast cancer cells. Cell Biochem 2000 Jun 6;78(3):429-41.
4. Tsan MF, White JE, Maheshwari JG, Bremner TA, Sacco J . Resveratrol induces Fas signalling-independent apoptosis inTHP-1 human monocytic leukaemia cells. Br J Haematol 2000 May;109(2):405-12.
5. Hsieh TC, Wu JM. Grape-derived chemopreventive agent resveratrol decreases prostate-specific antigen (PSA) expression in LNCaP cells by an androgen receptor (AR)-independent mechanism. Anticancer Res 2000 Jan-Feb;20(1A):225-8.
6. Gautam SC, Xu YX, Dumaguin M, Janakiraman N, Chapman RA. Resveratrol selectively inhibits leukemia cells: a prospective agent for ex vivo bone marrow purging. Bone Marrow Transplant 2000 Mar;25(6):639-45
7. De Santi C, Pietrabissa A, Spisni R, Mosca F, Pacifici GM. .Sulphation of resveratrol, a natural product present in grapes and wine, in the human liver and duodenum. Xenobiotica 2000 Jun;30(6):609-17
8. Delmas D, Jannin B, Malki MC, Latruffe N. Inhibitory effect of resveratrol on the proliferation of humanand rat hepatic derived cell lines. Oncol Rep 2000 Jul-Aug;7(4):847-52.
9. Mitchell SH, Zhu W, Young CY. Resveratrol inhibits the expression and function of theandrogen receptor in LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Cancer Res 1999 Dec 1;59(23):5892-5.
10. Elattar TM, Virji AS. The effect of red wine and its components on growth and proliferation of human oral squamous carcinoma cells. Anticancer Res 1999 Nov-Dec;19(6B):5407-14.
11. Surh YJ, Hurh YJ, Kang JY, Lee E, Kong G, Lee SJ. Resveratrol, an antioxidant present in red wine, inducesapoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. Cancer Lett 1999 Jun 1;140(1-2):1-10.
12. Jang M, Pezzuto JM. Cancer chemopreventive activity of resveratrol. Drugs Exp Clin Res 1999;25(2-3):65-77.