(ANSA) – ROME, 03 OCTOBER – A study on liver cells conducted by Enea researchers reveals the anti-tumor potential of hazelnuts. Thanks to the presence of active biomolecules capable of killing tumor cells in vitro, the extract favors the restoration of the normal growth conditions of liver tissue. The discovery, published in the journal Natural Product Research, according to the researchers, may pave the way for therapeutic and preventive developments in the fight against liver cancer.
Scientific evidence identifies the change in the intracellular content of two small RNA molecules as one of the keys to understanding the anti-tumor properties of some oncology drugs. “In the diseased tissue, the intracellular level of the two microRNAs decreases compared to the healthy counterpart, causing the proliferation of the neoplasm”, explains Barbara Benassi of the Biotechnology division of Enea, who conducted the research in collaboration with Maria Pierdomenico. “Restoring the two microRNAs to normal levels – he adds – is one of the possible strategies used by new drugs to reduce tumor progression. At the same time, keeping their intracellular integrity under control, preventing them from decreasing over the course of life, is a possible strategy of prevention towards the transformation into neoplasms”.
The results show that the traditional hazelnut extract from the Viterbo area (the Tonda Gentile Romana) is able to significantly stimulate the intracellular level of the two microRNA molecules in liver tumor cells, inhibiting their proliferation and causing their subsequent death in vitro. “The next step will be to identify the biomolecules responsible for this cytotoxic effect against tumor cells,” he reports. Possible candidates have already been identified, i.e. some substances deriving from caffeic acid and catechins, of which hazelnut extract is rich. “It is necessary to conduct further investigations to validate the potential efficacy of therapeutic adjuvants”, concludes Benassi. (HANDLE).
2024-10-06 08:02:57