Researchers from the University of Colorado Cancer Center tested a compound in GSE called B2G2, which they claim can induce cancer cell death, (apoptosis) but left healthy cells unharmed.
“Isolating and synthesizing B2G2 is an important step because now we have the ability to conduct more experiments with the pure compound,” Alpna Tyagi, of the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences reportedly told Medical News Today.
Further clinical studies
“Ongoing work in the lab further increases our understanding of B2G2′s mechanism of action that will help for the preclinical and clinical studies in the future."
Researchers allegedly synthesized gram-quantity of the compound much faster than if they were to purify it from GSE, and this method was much more cost-effective.
The results mean the investigators are a step closer to understanding the possible effects of active components in GSEs effective against cancer cells.
Expensive to trial
But isolating the compound is costly and takes a long time, which may prevent further trials.
"This naturally occurring compound, GSE, is a complex mixture of polyphenols and, so far, it has been unclear about the biologically active constituents of GSE against cancer cells," added Tyagi.
"We've shown similar anti-cancer activity in the past with grape seed extract, but now we know B2G2 is its most biologically active ingredient, which can be synthesized in quantities that will allow us to study the detailed death mechanism in cancer cells."