Compound in Celery, Parsley Inhibits Breast Cancer

A compound found in parsley, celery and other plant products, including apples, oranges and nuts, may stop certain breast cancer tumor cells from multiplying and growing, according to a new study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

Researchers at the University of Missouri exposed rats with a certain type of breast cancer to the flavonoid apigenin, a common compound found in parsley and other plant products. The rats exposed to the apigenin developed fewer tumors and experienced significant delays in tumor formation compared to those rats that were not exposed to apigenin.

The findings may one day impact the 6 million to 10 million women who take certain hormone replacement therapies.

“We know that certain synthetic hormones used in HRT accelerate breast tumor development. In our study, we exposed the rats to one of the chemicals used in the most common HRTs received in the United States—a progestin called medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA)—which also happens to be the same synthetic hormone that accelerates breast tumor development," the researchers said.

When tumor cells develop in the breast in response to MPA, they encourage new blood vessels to form within tumors. The blood vessels then supply needed nutrients for the tumors to grow and multiply. The researchers found apigenin blocked new blood vessel formation, thereby delaying, and sometimes stopping, the development of the tumors. They also found apigenin reduced the overall number of tumors. While apigenin did delay tumor growth, it did not stop the initial formation of cancer cells within the breast.

Apigenin is not absorbed efficiently into the bloodstream, so scientists are unsure of how much can or should be ingested.

“We don’t have specific dosage for humans yet," they said. “However, it appears that keeping a minimal level of apigenin in the bloodstream is important to delay the onset of breast cancer that progresses in response to progestins such as MPA. It’s probably a good idea to eat a little parsley and some fruit every day to ensure the minimal amount."

Sources:

University of Missouri: Parsley, Celery Carry Crucial Component for Fight Against Breast Cancer, MU Researcher Finds