The condiment you are familiar with as a sandwich spread has an ingredient that may one day yield a treatment for cervical cancer and other melanomas. Mustard seeds from one of several species of plants in the Brassica or Sinapis genera contain an enzyme that combines with sugars to form a compound that gives the spice pungency and chemoprotective properties. Research on the effects of mustard extract is still preliminary, so don’t attempt to self-treat cancer with this herb or use it as a substitute for conventional therapies.
Introduction of Mustard
Mustard paste was likely the invention of the ancient Romans, who combined Sinapis seeds with other herbs and fermented apple or grape juice known as “must.” The result was “mustard ardens,” which translates to “hot must.” Eventually, the condiment and the plant became synonymous with the condensed version of the name, or “mustard.” Once the Romans introduced mustard paste to other parts of Europe, specialized variations emerged that reflected the origin of creation, such as the recipe developed in Dijon, France.
Chemical Composition
Mustard extracts contain myrosinase, an enzyme that reacts with a glucoside called sinigrin found in plants in the Brassicaceae family. The reaction produces allyl isothiocyanate, the stuff that gives mustard “heat.” According to the August 15, 2011 issue of “Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters,” mustard compounds act on an ion channel that resides in cell membranes called transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily A, member 1. Dubbed TRPA1, this channel is involved in regulating sensory perception, such as cold and pain.
Anti-Cancer Effects
According to a study published in “Carcinogenesis” in May 2003, allyl isothiocyanate is effective against prostate cancer cells. This compound appears to trigger apoptosis, or cell death, by interrupting the growth stage in cells known as the G2/M phase. Another study published in the same journal in February 2010 reports that allyl isothiocyanate stops the spread of bladder cancer by the same mechanism. A study published in “Molecular Nutrition and Food Research” in January 2010 reports that allyl isothiocyanate is effective against several types of human cancer cells because it arrests growth in either the G1 or G2/M cell cycle phase. The cell lines in which this effect occurs includes bladder, colorectal and leukemia cancer cells, as well as human cervical cancer HeLa cells. However, because concentration of this compound is so high in the urine of study animals, the scientists suspect that mustard extracts may be most effective against bladder cancers.
Safety Considerations
There is not enough clinical evidence to conclude that mustard extracts are effective chemotherapy agents for cervical cancer or any other kind of cancer. The researchers involved in the January 2010 “Molecular Nutrition and Food Research” study found that high doses of allyl isothiocyanate caused toxicity in animal subjects, including a low incidence of carcinomas in the subcutaneous layer of skin. However, they explained that such toxicities would not be likely to occur in humans.
References
- Handbook of Spices, Seasonings, and Flavorings; Susheela Raghavan
- Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters: Design and Pharmacological Evaluation of PF-4840154, a Non-Electrophilic Reference Agonist of the TrpA1 Channel
- Carcinogenesis: Allyl isothiocyanate, a Constituent of Cruciferous Vegetables, Inhibits Proliferation of Human Prostate Cancer Cells by Causing G2/M Arrest and Inducing Apoptosis
- Carcinogenesis: Inhibition of Bladder Cancer Development by Allyl Isothiocyanate
- Molecular Nutrition and Food Research: Allyl Isothiocyanate as a Cancer Chemopreventive Phytochemical
