Why food matrices are more potent against cancer as compared to their isolated bioactives (647.39)

Our preliminary data shows that bioactive compounds delivered within a food matrix are involved in molecular multitasking (affecting multiple genomic targets) and deliver their biological punch through biochemical convergence (multiple pathways affecting a common outcome). We had determined that individual bioactive compounds in isolation failed to exhibit similar effects. This research tested whether these effects are the consequence of coordinated interaction of “companion” bioactives resulting in multiple synergies. To investigate this hypothesis, several diverse cell lines (CWR22Rv1 and HEK293) were treated with a variety of herbal extracts or isolated phytonutrients where cell proliferation and NF‐κB expression were used as endpoints. Synergy was determined by the Chou‐Talalay method when the cells were exposed to turmeric, Chinese goldthread and their bioactives (curcumin and ar‐ turmerone, berberine and coptisine, respectively) in isolation or in combination. Berberine and curcumin (in isolation) were not as potent as their extracts of origin. Combinations of herbal extracts and/or their isolated bioactives lowered effective concentrations from a non‐physiological level to concentrations more similar to human plasma values. These data suggest that foods/plant extracts are more likely to be beneficial against cancer when compared with isolated components due to their multiple synergies. Grant Funding Source : This research was supported, in part, by the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, University o