| Cancer types mentioned | Food it is found in | |
| Breast, Colorectal, Liver, Lung, Melanoma, Prostate, Skin, Cervical, Esophageal, Bladder, Kidney, Bone, Sarcoma, Multiple Myeloma | Apple peels, rosemary, thyme, basil |
Ursolic acid (UA)
Cancers mentioned: Melanoma (specifically B16-F10), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and prostate cancer.
Food Occurrences: Found in the peels of Apples, Pears, and Prunes, as well as culinary herbs like Rosemary, Oregano, and Thyme.
Summary of the Topic: Ursolic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid that occurs naturally in many fruits and herbs. It is notable for its anti-metastatic activity, particularly in melanoma, by inhibiting the expression of integrins that allow cancer cells to adhere to and invade new tissues. UA also triggers apoptosis through mitochondrial pathways and can sensitize resistant cancer cells to standard chemotherapeutic agents like cisplatin. Its presence in common dietary staples (apple peels) makes it a key target for nutritional oncology and cancer prevention strategies.
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Remainder of Report & Sources:
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Mechanisms: Suppression of integrin α4, induction of cell cycle arrest, and reversal of P-gp mediated drug resistance.
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Combinations: Synergizes with ginsenoside Rh2 to enhance apoptosis.
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Primary Source: Cui et al., Chinese Medicine, 2025
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Additional Source: PMC – Targetting Chemo-Resistance
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Primary Food Sources: Apple Peels, Rosemary, Holy Basil.
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Molecular Targets: Inhibits the STAT3 and NF-κB pathways. It is particularly effective at inducing apoptosis in Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs), which are usually resistant to standard chemo.
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Bioavailability: Limited by high lipophilicity (it doesn’t dissolve in water).
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Cross-Links:
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Curcumin: Shown to be the “most promising combination” for reducing tumor volume and weight in Prostate Cancer allograft models.
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Resveratrol: Enhances the upregulation of tumor suppressors like p21.
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