Pectin, a component of the cell walls of plants, is a form of soluble fiber. Pectin forms a gel-like consistency, making it a useful additive in the production of jams and jellies. Citrus fruits contain particularly high levels of pectin in their skins, which are used for most commercial pectin production. Scientific research has revealed a number of health benefits and medical uses of pectin.
Drug Delivery
Pectin's gel-like consistency makes it a useful agent for the delivery of cancer drugs and prevention of metastasis, according to a study conducted at Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. In the study, published in the December 2010 "Biomacromolecules" journal, an oxidized type of pectin formed a gel within two minutes and retained the anticancer drug within the area of the cancer, allowing the drug to have greater effectiveness than it would have if it were allowed to disperse. Additionally, oxidized pectin was found to prevent metastasis by inhibiting cancer cells from aggregating, according to the researchers.
Colon Cancer
Pectin decreases risk of colon cancer, according to a study published in the September 2010 "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry." By making the environment in the colon less toxic, pectin leads to less DNA damage and less risk of cancer, according to researchers of the study conducted at Chung Shan Medical University. In the study, laboratory mice consumed diets with varied amounts and types of fiber for three weeks. While all the diets inhibited DNA damage, only soluble fibers increased the amounts of beneficial short-chain fatty acids.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is lowered when pectin is supplemented together with polyphenols, according to a study published in the August 2009 "Journal of Medicinal Foods." The study, conducted at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, compared the nutritional supplements pectin, polyphenols and phytosterols to the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin. Participants consumed supplements for four weeks, after which blood lipid levels were tested. LDL -- the bad cholesterol -- was lowered by 20 percent in the group that received pectin with polyphenols, compared to 40 percent with the drug. The researchers urged more study of the use of dietary supplements to lower LDL cholesterol, with or without drug therapy.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer responds well to pectin supplementation, according to a report published in the August 2007 "Glycobiology" journal. Pectin powder induced apoptosis -- programmed cell death -- in both androgen-responsive and androgen-independent types of prostate cancer tissue cultures in the study, conducted at The University of Georgia in Athens. The researchers noted that heat treatment made the pectin 40 times more effective at inducing apoptosis than non-heat-treated pectin. Pectin derived from citrus had little or no effect.
References
- PubMed.gov: In situ gellable oxidized citrus pectin for localized delivery of anticancer drugs and prevention of homotypic cancer cell aggregation; Takei T, et al.; 2010
- PubMed.gov: Comparative effects of cellulose and soluble fibers (pectin, konjac glucomannan, inulin) on fecal water toxicity toward Caco-2 cells, fecal bacteria enzymes, bile acid, and short-chain fatty acids; Chen HL, et al.; 2010
- PubMed.gov: Comparative effects of cellulose and soluble fibers (pectin, konjac glucomannan, inulin) on fecal water toxicity toward Caco-2 cells, fecal bacteria enzymes, bile acid, and short-chain fatty acids; Chen HL, et al.; 209
- "Glycobiology": Pectin induces apoptosis in human prostate cancer cells: correlation of apoptotic function with pectin structure; Crystal L Jackson, et al.; 2007
