Fruit-derived phenolic compounds and pancreatic cancer: perspectives from Australian native fruits.
BACKGROUND
Pancreatic cancer is a devastating cancer that presents late, is rapidly progressive and has current therapeutics with only limited efficacy. Bioactive compounds are ubiquitously present in fruits and numerous studies in vitro are addressing the activity of these compounds against pancreatic cancer, thus studies of specific bioactive compounds could lead to new anti-pancreatic cancer strategies. Australian native fruits have been used as foods and medicines by Australian Aboriginals for thousands of years, and preliminary studies have found these fruits to contain rich and diversified bioactive components with high antioxidant activity. Thus, Australian native fruits may possess key components for preventing or delaying the onset of tumorigenesis, or for the treatment of existing cancers, including pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
Numerous databases including PubMed, SciFinder, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, and Sciencedirect were analysed for correlations between bioactive components from fruits and pancreatic cancer, as well as studies concerning Australian native fruits.


RESULTS
In this review, we comprehensively highlight the proposed mechanisms of action of fruit bioactives as anti-cancer agents, update the potential anti-pancreatic cancer activity of various major classes of bioactive compounds derived from fruits, and discuss the existence of bioactive compounds identified from a selection Australian native fruits for future studies.


CONCLUSIONS
Bioactive compounds derived from fruits possess the potential for the discovery of new anti-pancreatic cancer strategies. Further, Australian native fruits are rich in polyphenols including some flora that contain unique phenolic compounds, thereby warranting further investigations into their anti-cancer properties.
Pancreatic Cancer Research, Nutrition Food & Health Research Group, Australia; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
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QV
Vuong
Pancreatic Cancer Research, Nutrition Food & Health Research Group, Australia; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
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S
Hirun
Pancreatic Cancer Translational Research Group, Lowy Cancer Research Centre, Prince of Wales Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
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PA
Phillips
Pancreatic Cancer Research, Nutrition Food & Health Research Group, Australia; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
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Chuen
Pancreatic Cancer Research, Nutrition Food & Health Research Group, Australia; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
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MC
Bowyer
Pancreatic Cancer Research, Nutrition Food & Health Research Group, Australia; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
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CD
Goldsmith
Pancreatic Cancer Research, Nutrition Food & Health Research Group, Australia; School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia; Cancer Research Program, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: c.scarlett@newcastle.edu.au.
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CJ
Scarlett
D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001315:Australia; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010636:Phenols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols
Anti-cancer; Bioactive compounds; Discovery; Flavonoids; Phytochemicals