Anthocyanins impair cancer

The term anthocyanin was initially coined to indicate the substance responsible for the color of cornflower: it derives from the Greek term anthos=flower, and kuanos=blue, and refers to a group of water-soluble pigments responsible for red, pink, mauve, purple, blue, or violet color of most flower and fruits. These compounds act as potent antioxidants and phosphodiesterase inhibitors, thus being particularly effective in the amelioration of capillary resistance and permeability.

Studies on rats and human cells found anthocyanins notably slowed the growth of colon cancer cells.

In some experiments, the researchers from Ohio State University saw cancer growth not just slowed, but as many as 20% of the cells killed.

For instance, anthocyanin pigments obtained from black carrots and radishes slowed the growth of cancer cells by between 50 to 80%.

But compounds from chokeberries for instance killed up to a fifth of existing cells, without impacting upon healthy ones.

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