A new study led by researchers at Okayama University has found that “Sarunashi” juice, a type of fruit native to Japan’s Okayama Prefecture, may be effective in preventing and reducing the risk of lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death globally, and has one of the lowest five-year survival rates of any cancer.
The study, which used a mouse model, found that Sarunashi juice and its active component, isoquercetin (isoQ), helped to reduce the growth of tumors in the lungs of mice that had been induced with a known cancer-causing compound present in tobacco products.
The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Sakae Arimoto-Kobayashi, explained that their findings suggested that Sarunashi juice may be able to inhibit the mutagenic effects of certain compounds and accelerate DNA repair, ultimately leading to a reduction in the risk of lung cancer. The juice was also found to suppress the action of Akt, a key protein involved in cancer signaling.
While further research is needed to confirm the potential benefits of Sarunashi juice in humans, the study’s authors believe that their findings could lead to the development of new strategies for preventing and treating lung cancer. “Given the increasing burden of both heart failure and cancer in the aging population, the development of new biomarkers and heart-protective strategies is essential to minimizing the impact of cancer therapy-associated cardiac toxicity,” said Dr. Arimoto-Kobayashi.
Their findings were published on 9 December 2022 in Genes and Environment.