Grapefruit flavonoid may repair DNA, protect against cancer


Naringenin, a flavonoid found in grapefruit and oranges, helped to repair damaged DNA in cancer cells, reports a lab study.

'Grapefruit and oranges contain flavonoids, which have received much attention because of their ability to scavenge free radicals. American and Chinese researchers have now reported that one specific flavonoid, naringenin, has anti-cancer effects beyond that of an antioxidant.

The study, published in the February issue of the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (vol. 17, pp. 89-95) looked at the effect of naringenin on DNA repair in human prostate cancer cell cultures (cell line LNCaP).

DNA repair is an important factor in the prevention of cancer since it prevents the proliferation of mutations in the cells. The risk of prostate cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst men in the US, increases with age. As men get older, their cells become more susceptible to oxidative stress, which in turns leads to increased DNA damage.'

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