Plant phenolics as inhibitors of mutational and precarcinogenic events Journal Article


Author: Newmark, H. L.
Article Title: Plant phenolics as inhibitors of mutational and precarcinogenic events
Abstract: Initiation of chemical carcinogenesis involves the intracellular formation of a highly reactive electrophile that can attack many chemical nucleophiles in the cell, including DNA, a process that seems to be a central mechanism of initiation. Competing chemical nucleophiles in the cell, such as endogenous glutathione, can act as protecting or blocking agents against the attack on DNA. There are chemical substances in our food supply that may act as anticarcinogens or antimutagens by blocking or trapping ultimate carcinogen electrophiles in a neucleophilic chemical reaction, to form innocuous products. A continuous input of these substances could serve as an additional buffer against DNA damage, supplementing the endogenous systems qualitatively and quantitatively. Certain plant phenolics can be effective inhibitors of chemical mutagens and (or) carcinogens. Tetrapyrroles and porphyrins, both plant and animal, can also act as blocking agents. Both plant phenolics and porphyrins are primarily active against aromatic carcinogens inhibitors of mutagenesis in in vitro systems. Plant phenolics have also demonstrated inhibiting activity against aromatic chemically induced carcinogenesis.
Keywords: unclassified drug; review; antineoplastic agent; mouse; heredity; animal experiment; in vitro study; quercetin; drug antagonism; drug mechanism; rat; glutathione; curcumin; stomach; pyrrole derivative; human experiment; phenol derivative; prevention; caffeic acid; ferulic acid; tannin; respiratory system; drug comparison; large intestine; dihydroxybenzo[a]pyrene oxide; chemical mutagenesis; porphyrin; chlorogenic acid; chemical carcinogenesis; 4 biphenylamine; human; priority journal; rutoside; dimethylbenz[a]anthracene; porphyrin derivative; 1,2 dimethylhydrazine; higher plant; aminofluorene; antimutagenic agent; ellagic acid; luteolin; myricetin; robinetin; tetrapyrrole derivative
Journal Title: Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
Volume: 65
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0008-4212
Publisher: Canadian Science Publishing  
Date Published: 1987-03-01
Start Page: 461
End Page: 466
Language: English
DOI: 10.1139/y87-079
PUBMED: 3555751
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Review -- Export Date: 5 February 2021 -- Source: Scopus
Altmetric
Citation Impact
BMJ Impact Analytics
MSK Authors
  1. Harold L. Newmark
    61 Newmark