Avocado inhibits prostate cancer growth

Although the avocado is known as a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, there has been far less attention given to its content of other bioactive substances including carotenoids, which might contribute to cancer preventive properties similar to those attributed to other fruits and vegetables," reported American investigators.

"The yellow-green color of the avocado prompted us to study the carotenoid content of this fruit using established methods in our laboratory. The California Hass avocado was selected for study, because it is the most commonly consumed variety in the United States," explained Q.Y. Lu and colleagues, University of California at Los Angeles.

"These avocados were found to contain the highest content of lutein among commonly eaten fruits as well as measurable amounts of related carotenoids (zeaxanthin, alpha-carotene, and beta-carotene). Lutein accounted for 70 percent of the measured carotenoids, and the avocado also contained significant quantities of vitamin E," the research team announced. Scientists said, "An acetone extract of avocado containing these carotenoids and tocopherols was shown to inhibit the growth of both androgen-dependent (LNCaP) and androgen-independent (PC-3) prostate cancer cell lines in vitro. Incubation of PC-3 cells with the avocado extract led to G2/M cell cycle arrest accompanied by an increase in p27 protein expression.".................
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