Role of antimutagens/anticarcinogens in cancer prevention

Abstract

Recently it has become increasingly clear that chemicals found in our foods and beverages can prevent the genetic damage that leads to cancer initiation. Such substances may also affect subsequent events in the pathways that lead to cancer, and may have the potential to inhibit the mutations that allow tumor cells to become resistant to antitumor agents. We describe here the antimutagenic potential of Glabrene analogs against EMS-induced mutations utilizing modified Ames tests in S. typhimurium TA 100 and E. coli JC 5088. Results of studies of the ability of well-known antioxidants such as EGCG and related compounds to prevent drug resistance mutations in microorganisms are described, and their possible significance in the prevention of chemotherapeutic drug-resistance in tumor cells is discussed.

Assessment of the Antimutagenic Effects of Aqueous Extracts from Herbal Medicines against N-Alkyl-N-nitrosoureas-induced Mutagenicity Using the umu Test

“…Therefore antimutagens against N-alkyl-Nnitrosoureas provide a health beneˆt for humans (18)(19)(20).…”

“…The endogenous formation of N-nitrosamines is a possible explanation for the epidemiological connection with gastrointestinal cancers and childhood brain cancer (15)(16)(17). Therefore, for chemoprevention, it is important to discover naturally occurring or synthetic compounds which can prevent the mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of N-nitrosamines (18)(19)(20).…”

Shrimp Lipids: A Source of Cancer Chemopreventive Compounds

“…Antimutagenic chemopreventive compounds offer protection against cell DNA mutation caused by mutagenic agents (that alters the DNA) and slow cancer initiation [ 27 ], while antiproliferative compounds interfere in the cell cycle preventing and/or slowing down uncontrolled cancer cell division.…”

Mutagenicity and Antimutagenicity of Medicinal Plants

“…1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, IR, and UV spectroscopic data of the fraction revealed tannins as active constituents [62]. Shankel et al [63] described the antimutagenic potential of Glabrene analogs against EMS-induced mutations utilizing modified Ames tests. Nakahara et al [64] have shown that a methanolic extract of Oroxylum indicum strongly inhibits the mutagenicity of 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido(4,3-b)indole (Trp-P-1) by Ames test.…”