Researchers at the University of Arizona (UA), the United States, have discovered that a compound found in the natural food additive annatto prevents the formation of cancer cells and skin damage from UV radiation in mice. In the future the compound, bixin, may be valuable in the prevention and treatment of human skin cancers. Georg Wondrak, and Donna Zhang, both members of the UA, recently published a study in Free Radical Biology and Medicine.
Bixin is a bright reddish orange compound found in annatto, a natural condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote fruit. Annatto, also known as achiote, has been a common ingredient in Latin American cooking since the pre-Columbian era. Dr. Wondrak’s lab works to find small molecules, often in edible plants that can prevent skin cancer. Dr. Zhang is a leading expert on the Nrf2 transcription factor, which strengthens cells against exposure to carcinogens.
Dr. Wondrak says this discovery is unique because bixin is a nutritional factor, not a sunscreen applied to the skin. It prevents UV skin damage from the inside out by inducing cells to make protective antioxidants and repair factors. The compound does not kill skin cancer cells, but prevents their forming in the first place. Both the researchers find this compelling because it involves a commonly consumed food substance.
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Food additive that may prevent skin cancer
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