Propolis Components Found to Be Cytotoxic, Strong Antioxidants

New Findings in Cancer Cell Biology Described from National Taiwan University, Graduate Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week, 3/10/2007

2007 MAR 10 - (NewsRx.com) -- Research findings, "Apoptosis of human melanoma cells induced by the novel compounds propolin A and propolin B from Taiwenese propolis," are discussed in a new report. "We recently demonstrated that two new prenylflavanones, propolin A and propolin B, isolated and characterized from Taiwanese propolis, induced cytotoxicity effect in human melanoma A2058 cells and shows a strong capability to scavenge free radicals. In this study, propolin A effectively induced a cytotoxic effect on five different cancer cell lines," scientists in Taipei, Taiwan report...

The researchers concluded: "All these results indicated that propolin A and propolin B may trigger apoptosis of A2058 cells through mitochondria-dependent pathways and also shown that propolin A and propolin B were strong antioxidants."

Chen and colleagues published their study in Cancer Letters (Apoptosis of human melanoma cells induced by the novel compounds propolin A and propolin B from Taiwenese propolis. Cancer Letters, 2007;245(1-2):218-31).

For more information, contact C.N. Chen, Graduate Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Section 1, Jen-Ai Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan, ROC.