Open AccessEllagic acid, pomegranate and prostate cancer — a mini review
Author(s) -
Bell Carolyn,
Hawthorne Susan
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of pharmacy and pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 2042-7158
pISSN - 0022-3573
DOI - 10.1211/jpp.60.2.0001
Subject(s) - ellagic acid , prostate cancer , cancer , medicine , traditional medicine , prostate , oncology , dermatology , chemistry , biochemistry , antioxidant , polyphenol
There is currently a shifting focus towards finding natural compounds that may prevent or treat cancer, due to the problems that exist with current chemotherapeutic regimens. The fruit of the Punica granatum (pomegranate) contains hundreds of phytochemicals and pomegranate extracts have recently been shown to exhibit antioxidant properties, thought to be due to the action of ellagic acid, the main polyphenol in pomegranate. In this mini review the effects of pomegranate extracts and ellagic acid on the proliferation of prostate cancer cells and their future potential are discussed.