A component found in grape seeds can help fight prostate cancer, new research shows.
Researchers from the University of Colorado Cancer Center in the US found that an active component in grape seed extract known as B2G2 was effective in executing cell death known as apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.
Dr Alpna Tyagi and colleagues based their findings on their previous research work that showed the anti-cancer power of grape seed extract. However, it was only recently when they identified the exact component that played a major role in the whole procedure.
"But until recently, we didn't know which constituent of GSE created this effect. This naturally occurring compound, GSE, is a complex mixture of polyphenols and also so far it has been unclear about the biologically active constituents of GSE against cancer cells," Dr Alpna Tyagi said in a news release.
But the researchers found the isolation process unworkable due to the costs involved. In the new study, they reported how synthesising the component was easy and cost-effective. "We've shown similar anti-cancer activity in the past with grape seed extract (GSE), but now we know B2G2 is its most biologically active ingredient which can be synthesized in quantities that will allow us to study the detailed death mechanism in cancer cells," Dr Tyagi said.
The current study is published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.
Previous studies have shown the health benefits of grapes. Scientists from Oregon State University reported in September that resveratrol in red grapes was effective in boosting the immune system. A University of Michigan study in May reported that grapes help protect against organ damage associated with metabolic syndrome.
