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Pomegranate may reduce breast cancer risk

An acid found in pomegranates appears to block aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgens to oestrogens, which play a role in the development of breast cancer.

Pomegranate may reduce breast cancer risk

An acid found in pomegranates appears to block aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgens to oestrogens, which play a role in the development of breast cancer.

More than 400,000 women die from breast cancer globally every year. About 75 percent of breast cancers are oestrogen-receptor positive, meaning their growth is fuelled by oestrogen.

Many women who have had breast cancer take medicines called aromatase inhibitors to keep oestrogen from stimulating tumour growth. Previous research has shown that pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants - vitamins and other substances - that may help prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease.

To study whether compounds, or phytochemicals, in pomegranates can suppress aromatase and ultimately block cancer growth, researchers examined a panel of 10 compounds including ellagic acid, gallagic acid, and urolithins A and B for their ability to inhibit aromatase activity and testosterone-induced breast cancer cell proliferation.

It was found that 10 natural compounds in the pomegranate may potentially prevent oestrogen-related breast cancer. Among these, urolithin B was shown to most effectively inhibit aromatase activity in a live cell assay. However, the researchers mentioned that these compounds could not be used as a replacement for aromatase inhibitors as pomegranate compounds are not as potent as the real drugs.

The study suggests that pomegranate compounds have potential for the prevention of oestrogen-responsive breast cancers. Further research in human beings is needed to confirm the findings.
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