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Preventive medicines made from rice, berries and red wine could soon be available to help to prevent cancer and other diseases - and pills could be available by 2010. Scientists funded by Cancer Research UK hope the active compounds will be used to create the first products in
a family of drugs that stop disease before it takes hold. "These agents have proved highly effective in the lab - it is extraordinary," says Professor Will Steward, a cancer and molecular medicine expert who is involved in the research.
A single plant molecule can have a bewildering array of health-promoting effects - curcumin, for example, obtained from the spice turmeric, doesn't only protect against cancer, it is anti-inflammatory and could help combat Alzheimer's.
Many of the molecules scientists are getting excited about are plant pigments. In nature, these act to neutralise damaging molecules created by ultraviolet light. In the body, they do the same job - they stabilise damaging molecules on everything from cell membranes to the gut lining and blood vessels. By preventing damage, they help to prevent inflammation, cancerous changes and other ageing effects.
Other plant molecules with anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects exist to protect the plant from pathogens, but they have the same effect in the human body. Drugs companies are looking for the most powerful plant molecules to use alone or in combination with existing drugs. The only downside is that drugs companies don't always look to see how plants were used traditionally.
In herbal medicine, whole plant extracts are used, rather than a single molecule. In these extracts, you get dozens of beneficial molecules working together in synergy. While the new drugs are likely to consist of high concentrations of natural "super-molecules", you can access their health benefits now, in food or as supplements.
So which of today's foods will be tomorrow's drugs and how can you use them to stay healthy now?
Broccoli and brussels sprouts
Active molecule: Diindolylmethane
Combining a potent cocktail of anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer properties, diindolylmethane from brassica vegetables is set to become one of the leading new phyto- chemical drugs. It's already used for treating respiratory papillomatosis tumours, caused by the HPV virus and is in phase III clinical trials for cervical dysplasia. Meanwhile, trials sponsored by the US National Cancer Institute are investigating it as a treatment for cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon. It has also been shown to enhance the effect of the ovarian cancer drug, Taxol.
Benefit now: Eat plenty of broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage and kale to help strengthen your immune system and fight infection.
Eggs and spinach
Active molecule: Lutein
Keep your eye on lutein, especially if you're worried about your eyesight. Lutein, a yellow pigment found in green leafy vegetables and eggs, is making headlines as a potential treatment for eye diseases. Clinical trials show it directly improves human visual performance, helping to prevent the onset of macular degeneration and cataracts. One study in JAMA, the Journal of the American Optometric Association, found that in high enough doses it could even reverse some symptoms of macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the elderly.
Benefit now: On average we eat around 2mg lutein a day. Yet research indicates we need at least 10mg to prevent or ease symptoms of eye disease. Other than eating more green leafy vegetables and eggs, your best bet is a supplement top-up.
Brown rice
Active molecule: Tricin
People in countries where brown rice is a dietary staple have low rates of colon cancer, so researchers began investigating why. Among other reasons, they discovered that a substance in rice called tricin has anti-cancer effects in the lower gut.
Benefit now: Cook brown rice, in which tricin is found. Its protective effect on the bowel will increase the more you eat it. Its high-fibre levels also protect against cancers of the gut.
Turmeric
Active molecule: Curcumin
Turmeric, the Indian spice that gives curry its yellow tinge, is a powerful anti-inflammatory with cancer-preventive effects. Used in Ayurvedic medicine, the rush is now on to develop the active molecule, curcumin, as a drug. The US National Institute of Health has four clinical trials underway investigating curcumin treatment for pancreatic and colorectal cancers and Alzheimer's.
Benefit now: Powdered curcumin is not as strong as isolated curcumin, but it does contain other health-promoting molecules and can help ease mild arthritic pain, digestive irritation, bruising and swelling. For a mild effect, add a spoonful of the powdered spice to a curry. For anti-inflammatory effects, stir a teaspoon into 50ml of water and drink twice daily.
Red wine
Active molecule: Resveratrol
Found in red wine, Resveratrol is set to be a leading contender in the new family of anti-ageing drugs. The drug under development gives more than 50 glasses of wine's worth of resveratrol in a single pill. This dose has been found to double physical endurance and enhance lifespan in animal studies. Research suggests it can also offset the negative health effects of high-fat diets.
Benefit now: There's no way you could get anything near the levels of resveratrol you'll get in the future drug. But you can get significant cardiovascular and anti-cancer benefits from drinking one to two glasses of red wine a day.
Tomatoes
Active molecule: Lycopene
Lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes, is in clinical trials for cardiovascular diseases and prostate cancer. Studies have demonstrated that lycopene improves blood flow through the heart. Several large clinical studies indicate it holds real potential for preventing and treating prostate cancer.
Benefit now: Populations studies suggest that a diet rich in tomatoes can reduce prostate cancer risk. Processed tomato products such as tomato paste and puree tend to contain higher lycopene levels. It is better absorbed with vitamin E, so add unprocessed olive oil to your salad. Available as a supplement.
Chilli
Active molecule: Capsaicin
The molecule that gives chilli peppers their fiery edge, capsaicin is the key ingredient in an experimental new painkilling drug, Adlea. It has a long-lasting effect in dulling nerve pain and Adlea, which is in phase II trials, is being given as an injection to dull pain for up to a month. Capsaicin could also prove to be another leading drug in the prevention of cancer - current trials are assessing it for effects on prostate, gut and lung cancers.
Benefit now: Thai people are famed for their hot curries and have a lower incidence of prostate and gut cancers. Add as much chilli as you dare to stews, salads and curries.
- INDEPENDENT