CLA May Inhibit Growth of Colon & Prostate Cancer
Lake
Bluff IL, 15 May 2002
Supplementation
With Conjugated Linoleic Acid May Prove Important In Prevention
and Treatment
In
a study published in Cancer Letters, an international scientific
journal, researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified molecular
components in the dietary supplement conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
as potentially influential in the reduction of colorectal and prostatic
cancer cells.
A
naturally occurring fatty acid found primarily in milk, beef and
dairy products, CLA is part of the omega-6 fatty acid family. Its
mechanism of action, however, mimics that of omega-3 fatty acids
such as fish oil, which have been proven to have significant health
benefits. Mounting scientific evidence now suggests that some omega-6
dietary fatty acids, such as CLA, can inhibit tumor growth and proliferation
of human cancer cells.
"There
are specific isomers within CLA that exhibit an inhibitory effect
on cancer proliferation," says Dr. John Palombo, Assistant Professor
of Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical
School. He notes that CLA contains two molecular components, or
active isomers, which exhibited the greatest potency against colorectal
cancer cells in his studies. Both isomers were also shown to be
moderately effective against prostatic cancer cells. The specific
CLA studied was the CLA One brand from PharmaNutrients, Inc., Lake
Bluff, Illinois.
Encouraging
results from the in vitro study have increased scientific interest
in the possible use of CLA and other nutrition and natural interventions
as a safe and effective adjuvant therapeutic agent against cancer
versus aggressive pharmacological therapy that has attending adverse
side effects.
Palombo
cautioned that CLA should be studied further. "These in vitro results
indicate that the cancer-reducing properties of CLA or its constituent
isomers are not equivalent. The net reduction in cancer cell proliferation
appears to be dependent upon the type and concentration of CLA isomer
used. A better understanding of novel CLA preparations and their
constituent isomers is required before initiating intervention (human
clinical) trials of CLA in patients undergoing treatment of colorectal
and prostate cancer, as well as individuals at risk for these cancers."
Founded
in 1994, PharmaNutrients, Inc. provides nutritional bioactive ingredients
and technologies to the nutrients, food and pharmaceutical industries.
Cancer Letters (www.elsevier.com/locate/canlet)
is a journal providing rapid publication of brief articles in the
broad area of cancer research. The cited study by Palombo et al
was published in the March 28th issue (Vol 177, pages 163-172, 28
March 2002).
Source
PharmaNutrients,
Inc., via PR Newswire.
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