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Celery, artichoke, and some aromatic herbs, such as Mexican oregano, are rich in flavonoids with promising anticancer effects. Two laboratory studies conducted by the University of Illinois reveal that these compounds, including apigenin and luteolin, inhibit specific enzymes that allow cancer cells to grow. This finding could pave the way for new strategies for preventing and treating pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive cancers.
Flavonoids: natural compounds with anticancer effects
Flavonoids are compounds found in various plants, recognized for their multiple health benefits. Among them, apigenin and luteoline stand out for their ability to interfere with the cell processes responsible for cancer development. These flavonoids, which are present in large quantities in celery and artichoke, act by slowing down a key enzyme in the metabolism of cancer cells, thereby causing them to be destroyed.
The effects of apigenin and luteolin on cancer cells
Researchers Jodee Johnson and Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia observed that apigenin, applied to human pancreatic cancer cell cultures in the laboratory, triggers cell death in two particularly aggressive types of cancer cells. In addition, apigenin rebalancing the expression of genes bound to pro-inflammatory cytokines, molecules often involved in the growth and dissemination of cancers. This dual action – destruction of cancer cells and modulation of inflammatory processes – makes apigenin a particularly interesting agent in the fight against cancer.
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