Pterostilbene, an antioxidant found in blueberries, has shown promise as a putative protective agent against colon cancer in animals, according researchers from Rutgers University and the US Department of Agriculture. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States and so a supplement or drug developed from this compound could potentially save many lives.
Rutgers’ Bandaru Reddy and colleagues reported their findings today at the 233rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
“This study underscores the need to include more berries in the diet, especially blueberries,” says Reddy, “Although the blueberry compound won’t cure colon cancer, it represents a potential new and attractive strategy for preventing the disease naturally.”
Pterostilbene is also found in grapes a finding that was reported in Spinneret sibling webzine Reactive Reports in an item entitled Grape Expectations
InChI=1/C16H16O3/c1-18-15-9-13(10-16(11-15)19-2)4-3-12-5-7-14(17)8-6-12/h3-11,17H,1-2H3/b4-3+