Benzaldehyde, Coumarins and Lupeol: Food Chemicals in Figs fit for an Anti-Cancer Diet

The fig fruit is also one the healthy things to eat. As a member of the mulberry tree family, it is believed that every part of the fig fruit is beneficial to human health. Some of the non anti-cancer benefits of the fig fruit includes the

1.       Treatment of sexual weakness

2.       Treatment of constipation and indigestion

3.       Treatment of Pile

4.       Treatment of diabetes

5.       Treatment of cough, bronchitis and asthma

6.       It can also be helpful in weight gain after illness

As an anti-cancer food, the fig fruit has been proven to be a vital food supplement to our daily anti-cancer diet. The reason for this assumption is connected with it possession of certain food chemicals. These food chemicals has shown to give the fig fruit its anti-cancer properties against colon and breast cancer. Other types of cancer that the food chemicals in the fig fruit has been known to prevent are skin and prostate cancer, as well as human carcinomas.

 

There are about three anti cancer food chemicals found in the fig fruits that gives it its anti-cancer property. These food chemicals, which will explained in basic details because of limited research work are

1.       Benzaldehyde

2.       Coumarins

3.       Lupeol

Benzaldehyde: Research studies have found that the anti-activity of this food chemical is to induce the destruction of mitochondrial structure of cancer-infected cells, and digestion of broken organelles by secondary lysosomes in cells affected by cancer. As an active food chemical in the fig fruit that can be added to our anti-cancer diet, Benzaldehyde, in form of Cyclodextrin Benzaldehyde (CDBA) inclusion compound, increases the number of acidity in organelles of cancer-infected cells. This anti-cancer activity leads to autophagic cell death (cell suicide) in cancer cells. 

Coumarins: This important food chemical is not only found in the fig fruits. Its anti-cancer activity is found in many other fruits. Coumarins are useful both as food chemicals in anti-cancer diets and anti-HIV therapy. Research studies show that Coumarins are effective in breast cancer chemotherapy. Conjugates of Coumarins such as Coumarin-based selective estrogens receptor modulators (SERMs), and Coumarin estrogens has shown potential anti-cancer activities in fighting breast cancer.

Lupeol: This food chemical was recently discovered as an anti-cancer agent in the fig fruit. Although much of its anti-cancer property is still yet known, some of the reasons why Lupeol is a food chemical has been added to anti-cancer diet can be seen below.

1.       Lupeol blocks the function of the protein NF-KB (see Chilli pepper), which assists cancer-promoting cells in the process of growth and repairs.

2.       Lupeol suppresses the growth and spread of liver, prostate, and breast cancer.