SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: W1122 : Beneficial and Adverse Effects of Natural, Bioactive Dietary Chemicals on Human Health and Food Safety
- Period Covered: 10/01/2002 to 10/01/2003
- Date of Report: 08/23/2004
- Annual Meeting Dates: 10/09/2003 to 10/10/2003
Participants
[Minutes]
Accomplishments
Interdependent research amongst W-1122 researchers have made considerable progress toward our stated objectives -- identifying and determining the risk associated with food-borne toxins and carcinogens, determining their mode(s) of action, and discovering natural and synthetic bioactive chemoprotective agents to protect human health. This year, a digestive condensation product of cruciferous vegetables, DIM, was shown to inhibit several biochemical processes involved in the later stages of prostate tumor development. Root exudates were identified as having potent activity in breast tumor cells. Production of the carcinogenic mycotoxin fumonisin was shown to be inhibited by the fungicide metalaxyl in the corn meal. Several naturally occurring chemicals found in popular herbal supplements were shown to inhibit proinflammatory cytokine expression by the bacterial endotoxin in cell culture and mice. Two dozen compounds were found to be bactericidal against the food-borne pathogens Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica. Natural and synthetic antioxidants were found to be powerful chemopreventive agents against aflatoxicosis in poultry. These and other collaborative research projects will continue in the coming year.
Impacts
- Results of our studies of DIM in prostate tumor cells suggest that DIM inhibits several biochemical processes involved in the later stages of prostate tumor development
- Our finding that certain antioxidants prevent toxic reponses in poultry will help American agriculture produce a safer product for consumers
- Our aging population is increasingly developing inflammatory diseases like arthritis, allergy, lupus and nephropathy. The studies on herbal supplements and omega-3 fatty acids will assist in the development of foods and supplements that inhibit and delay these inflammatory diseases. This will lead to improvement in the quality of life of such affected individuals.
- Results of our toxicological studies were used to set FDA guidelines and provisional maximal tolerable daily intakes (PMTDI) by the WHO/FAO.
- We have identified chlorophyl as a powerful cancer-protective agent in a human intervention trial in China; its use worldwide as a cancer-preventive agent may be a possible step.