Resveratrol is a chemoprevention agent derived from grapes, purple grape juice, red wine, as well as some peanuts and berries. It is also considered a phytoestrogen because it can mimic or block the effects of estrogen depending on the dose and target tissue. According to an article published by the Knowledge Systems, AI Laboratory at Stanford University, resveratrol has a growth inhibitory action on breast cancer cells. It blocks the enzymes that contribute to breast cancer development. Use a resveratrol supplement only if your doctor tells you to do so.
NF-Kappa Protein
Resveratrol has been shown to inhibit growth proliferation of cultured breast cancer cells. It is thought to act by inhibiting events associated with tumor initiation, promotion and progression. Resveratrol also suppresses NF kappa B activation in the immune system. NF-kappa B is a protein complex that protects both healthy and cancer cells.
Apoptosis
Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant and a free radical scavenger. Antioxidants are chemical compounds that protect cells against the damaging actions of reactive oxygen species called free radicals. These radical oxygen chemically attack important cell components, including cellular proteins, membranes and DNA. Cellular damage of this sort can induce harmful cell mutations by causing changes in the cell cycle and increase the risk of cancer. Resveratrol also inhibits breast cancer cell lines via induction of apoptotic cell death, according to a study published in the May 2005 issue of the "Molecular Nutrition & Food Research" journal.
Inhibition of Metastatic Breast Cancer
Metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumor to other parts of the body, accounts for over 90 percent of all breast cancer--related deaths. Insulin-like growth factors --- a small group of proteins --- particularly IGF-1, promote various cell events such as proliferation and migration by activating the PI-3K/Akt pathway in endothelial cells in the breast. In vitro, resveratrol has shown to inhibit this IGF-1 mediated cell migration in breast cancer cells, according to a 2008 study published in the journal "Molecular Nutrition & Food Research," conducted by FY Tang and his colleagues from the Biomedical Science Laboratory at China Medical University, Taiwan.
Dosage and Safety Issues
Optimal dosing of resveratrol for breast cancer patients is not known. On the basis of animal model studies, oral doses of 500 mg per day might be appropriate for your condition. Resveratrol may also act as an estrogen agonist and thus stimulate the growth of existing breast tumors, according to a study at NYU Langone Medical Center. Women with hormone-sensitive conditions should not take resveratrol supplements without first talking to their doctors.
References
- NYU Langone Medical Center: Resveratrol
- Stanford University: Knowledge Systems, AI Laboratory: Vitamins, Carotenoids, and Phytochemicals; June. 1999
- National Cancer Institute: Red Wine and Cancer Prevention: Fact Sheet
- "Molecular Nutrition & Food Research"; Resveratrol and Breast Cancer Chemoprevention: Molecular Mechanisms; Le Corre L et al; May. 2005
- "Molecular Nutrition & Food Research"; Resveratrol Inhibits Migration and Invasion of Human Breast-Cancer Cells; June 2008
