Anticancer Functions of Nondialyzable Extracts of Vegetables and Fruits

Abstract

The anticancer functions of nondialyzable extracts of vegetables and fruits were studied. The nondialyzable extracts of vegetables and fruits such as spinach, eggplant, broccoli, apple, and others inhibited the mutagenicity of Trp-P-1 (3-amino-l,4-dimethyl-5H-pyridol[4,3-b] indole), Trp-P-2 (3-amino-l-methyl-5H-pyridol[4,3-b]indole), N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), benzo[a]pyrene, and aflatoxin B1 on Salmonella typhimurium TA 100 and TA 98. The nondialyzable extract of spinach also exhibited a lethal effect on the tumor cell lines MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma), HuH-7 (differentiated hepatoma), QG-90 (lung carcinoma), and other cancer cells. The killing of MCF-7 cells was significantly enhanced by a macrophage-like cell line which had been incubated with the nondialyzable extract of spinach, indicating that the extract activated the macrophage-like cells. The extract also enhanced the growth and production of immunoglobulin by a B cell hybridoma which produces antibody against lung and breast cancer. The nondialyzable extracts of spinach, eggplant, cucumber, and Welsh onion were also found to induce the differentiation of human leukemia cell lines such as U-937 and HL-60 into macrophage or monocyte cells. The extracts of spinach and eggplant exhibited strong antioxidant effects against the oxidation of linoleic acid, and suppressed melanin formation by mouse B16 melanoma cells.