Anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants found in black raspberries, may suppress the conversion of precancerous to cancerous cells, according to a study funded by the Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science.
Susan Mallery, DDS, PhD, a professor in the College of Dentistry at OSU and Oral Pathology Consultant at the Ohio University and James Cancer hospitals, has dedicated nearly three decades to studying new strategies for preventing oral cancer, which is responsible for more than 7,000 deaths each year.
Dr. Mallery started investigating a range of agents, from anti-angiogenesis drugs to natural products, to identify new therapeutics to suppress the conversion of precancerous to cancerous cells. Her first major development was the creation of an oral gel containing anthocyanins as study results showed that the gel, when applied directly to the mouth, would suppress genes associated with functions that allow cancerous cells to grow, thus diminishing the risk for recurring lesions.
As you see more and more spring and summer berries in the market, eat up, they are powerful antioxidants that can keep you healthy and prevent cancer.
CDA Journal, vol 40, No 4, p,296.
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