Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jun 12, 2025 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 9 hours, 16 minutes ago
Medical News: Natural Plant-Based Compounds Could Be Key in Treating Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer in the world today, with a five-year survival rate of just 13 percent. Despite progress in cancer research, effective treatments for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA)—the most common and aggressive form of this cancer—remain limited. However, a new study by researchers from the Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences at the University of Turin in Italy and the Defense Research & Analysis Institute in Rome has highlighted an exciting new approach. They suggest that bioactive compounds or phytochemicals found in common foods and herbs may offer a safer, natural and more effective way to manage PDA.
Phytochemicals Show Breakthrough Promise in Fighting Deadly Pancreatic Cancer
This
Medical News report explores how these phytochemical compounds—commonly found in vegetables, fruits, grains, spices and herbs—might work hand-in-hand with existing chemotherapy drugs to improve outcomes for patients. These bioactive substances, including polyphenols, flavonoids, tocotrienols, and isothiocyanates, have shown the ability to slow cancer growth, trigger cancer cell death, and reduce inflammation, while also lowering the chances of tumors spreading.
Olive Oil and Tocotrienols Lead the Way
One of the most promising areas of research focuses on compounds found in extra virgin olive oil, such as hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal. These chemicals not only slow the growth of PDA cells in the lab but also trigger the cancer cells to self-destruct. In mouse studies, these compounds reduced tumor size and extended survival. Another powerful group of compounds—vitamin E tocotrienols, particularly delta-tocotrienol—has shown similar effects. When administered orally to mice, these compounds reached the pancreas and delayed the onset of cancer with no major side effects.
Bright Colors Hide Potent Cancer Fighters
Marigold flower extracts, rich in antioxidant compounds, were found to directly kill pancreatic cancer cells and make chemotherapy more effective. They also caused cancer cells to die via a process called autophagy, where the cells essentially digest themselves from the inside. Similarly, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like those in fish oil may weaken tumors by making their cells more vulnerable to stress and damage.
Citrus fruits—rich in flavonoids like hesperidin and naringenin—have also shown remarkable effects. In lab experiments, lime juice and citrus seed extracts stopped the growth of PDA cells and even caused them to die. Some flavonoids like quercetin and apigenin can also stop cancer spread, while others like kaempferol and puerarin make chemotherapy drugs like gemcitabine work better by enhancing cancer cell sensitivity.
Clinical Trials Are Underway
While many of these compounds have only been tested in labs or animal models so far, a numbe
r of clinical trials are now exploring their potential in real patients. Trials are investigating whether supplementing diets with fish oil, citrus, marigold extract or Mediterranean-style meals can help patients recover faster from surgery or respond better to chemotherapy. Some studies are also looking at combining exercise with dietary changes to enhance patient well-being and cancer resilience.
For example, compounds like curcumin from turmeric and resveratrol from grapes have shown the ability to block cancer-promoting pathways like NF-κB and PI3K/Akt. Other compounds from Chinese herbs such as thymoquinone from black cumin seeds and honokiol from magnolia bark are being studied for their role in reducing drug resistance and suppressing tumor growth.
The Road Ahead and Hope for the Future
Though many questions remain, these natural compounds could one day become key players in the treatment of one of the most feared cancers. Scientists emphasize that these compounds do not work by targeting a single cancer pathway but rather affect multiple biological processes at once—oxidative stress, inflammation, immune suppression, and tumor signaling. This multi-targeted approach may reduce the chance of resistance and improve survival rates when combined with traditional therapies.
However, more human trials are urgently needed. Many of these compounds are poorly absorbed when taken orally, and new delivery methods such as nano-encapsulation are being explored. Standardizing the source and dosage of each compound will also be essential. Despite these challenges, the evidence so far is strong and hopeful.
The study concludes that integrating bioactive dietary compounds into treatment regimens for PDA patients has immense potential. These natural substances, especially when used alongside chemotherapy, can help overcome drug resistance, reduce tumor progression, and improve patient quality of life. Future therapies may rely not just on powerful drugs but on a carefully designed mix of plant-based extracts, lifestyle changes, and conventional treatments—all working together to fight this deadly cancer more effectively and gently.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Biomolecules.
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/5/725
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/new-study-warns-repeated-covid-19-vaccination-accelerates-death-in-pancreatic-cancer-patients
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/new-study-finds-link-between-high-hba1c-levels-and-pancreatic-cancer-risk
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/cancer-herbs-triptolide-a-phytochemical-derived-from-the-tripterygium-wilfordii-plant-can-help-treat-pancreatic-cancer-patients
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/herbs-and-phytochemicals
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/cancer
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