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| It has also been suggested that butyrate be used as an anticancer agent. This has proven to be effective from several biochemical standpoints. In rat ascites hepatomas, butyrate treatment led to loss of contact inhibition, which lessens the tendency for cancer cells to metastasize or break away from a primary rumor and travel to other parts of the body. |
| In addition, while cancer cells are in a state of rapid DNA replication compared to normal cells, HeLa cells (a type of human cell) treated with butyrate undergo extensive acetylation with the inhibition of both DNA synthesis and cell replication. Borenfreund et al. have also deomonstrated the reversal of tumorigenicity in hepatoma cells treated with butyrate. In rat hepatoma cells induced by a chemical carcinogen, large aggregates of filaments are seen interspersed with microtubules, polyribosomes, and membranous structures. Treatment with butyrate resulted in a progressive return to the appearance of normal hepatocyte morphology and the disintegration of the abnormal filament aggregates. 119 120121122123 |
| Conjugated Linoleic Acid |
| Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a collective term that refers to a mixture of positional and geometric isomers of linoleic acid. Believe it or not, this is a fatty acid that is naturally present in dairy products and meat. |
| A 1991 study published in Cancer Research showed that 1 percent of CLA in the diet suppressed mammary carcinogenesis in rats given a high dose of DMBA, a known carcinogen. The same journal published another more recent study demonstrating that dietary CLA at a much lower dose produced a dose-dependent inhibition in mammary rumor yield when fed to rats treated with a lower dose of the same carcinogen.124 |
| CLA is a unique anticarcinogen because it is present in foods from animal sources. Its efficacy in cancer protection occurs at levels that are normally consumed by humans. This is one reason why not all people on a cancer-inhibiting diet need to be on a strict vegetarian diet. I must stress, however, that dairy products and meat have become so polluted with chemicals and growth hormones that, in spite of their CLA content, they have become carcinogenic. For this reason, all animal products in the diet must be organic. |
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