Invitro study. "Carob bean extract suppressed the proliferation of prostate cancer cells in a time and dose-dependent manner".

[Graham49]

Anticancer Effect of Carob Bean Extract on Human Prostate Cancer Cell Lines: Apoptosis Induction and Bax/Bcl-2 Ratio ImprovementFatemeh Khazaei, Maryam Bozorgi, Mozafar Khazaei

Middle East Journal of Cancer, 2022

Background:

Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) has been used to cure various diseases in traditional medicine. This plant has also exerted anti-proliferative effects on certain cancer types. The present study aimed to determine the effects of carob bean extracts on proliferation and apoptotic genes (Bax, Bcl-2, and P53) and Caspase-3, -8, and -9 expressions of human prostate cancer cell lines.

Method:

In this in vitro experimental study, human prostate cell lines (LNCaP and PC3) were treated with carob bean extract (0, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 µg/ml) for 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Cell viability was investigated via MTT assay. The genes expression: Bax (pro-apoptotic), Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic), Caspase-3 (required enzyme for the execution of apoptosis), Caspase-8 (mediator of the extrinsic pathway), and Caspase-9 (mediator of the intrinsic pathway) genes as well as P53 (tumor suppressor) were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, the nitric oxide in culture media was evaluated.

Results:

Carob bean extract suppressed the proliferation of prostate cancer cells in a time and dose-dependent manner by inducing intrinsic apoptotic pathways and decreasing nitric oxide production (P <0.01). The obtained results revealed the overexpression of Caspases-3 and -9, P53, and Bax, but reduction in Bcl-2 expression, giving rise to a higher Bax/Bcl-2 ratio (P <0.05).

Conclusion:

The carob bean extracts exerted anti-prostate cancer properties via induction of apoptosis. It could be also suggested as a dietary supplement for patients suffering from prostate cancer.

[Lyubov]

How & how much would he take/consume to work, I wonder.

[Gl448 in reply to Lyubov]

There’s no evidence in that abstract that consuming carob beans will have any impact on cancer cells in the body.

Save your money on carob products unless you’re looking for a chocolate substitute that has nothing to do with cancer treatment.

[Hidden]

Interesting !

[GoBucks]

Wonder how mice will respond.

[Brocktree]

thank you Graham49

[Gl448]

Interesting, but soaking cancer cells in a Petri dish is a long way off from from proving any in vivo results.

I wouldn’t start scarfing down carob products expecting to be cured at this point.

Thanks for sharing.

[Graham49 in reply to Gl448]

Yes, dont have high expectations for a cure. But it is cheap and fairly nutritious. You might have to wait a long time for a human trial. Theres no money in it for big pharma. If you are alergic to nuts you might be alergic to carob.

[Gl448]

Save your money until some peer reviewed paper shows actual benefits for prostate cancer from CONSUMING it. This article only “suggests” it might be beneficial.

[Graham49]

This paper gives an up to date review of carob nutrition, if you are interested. Carob: A Sustainable Opportunity for Metabolic Health

by Aristea Gioxari

1 [ORCID] , Charalampia Amerikanou

2 [ORCID] , Irini Nestoridi

1 [ORCID] , Eleni Gourgari

1, Harris Pratsinis

3 [ORCID] , Nick Kalogeropoulos

2 [ORCID] , Nikolaos K. Andrikopoulos

2 and Andriana C. Kaliora

2,*

1

Department of Nutritional Science and Dietetics, School of Health Science, University of the Peloponnese, Antikalamos, 24100 Kalamata-Messinia, Greece

2

Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 70 El. Venizelou Ave, 17676 Athens, Greece

3

Laboratory of Cell Proliferation & Ageing, Institute of Biosciences & Applications NCSR “Demokritos”, Patriarchou Grigoriou E’ & 27 Neapoleos str., Ag. Paraskevi, 15341 Athens, Greece

*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Foods 2022, 11(14), 2154; doi.org/10.3390/foods11142154

Received: 25 June 2022 / Revised: 14 July 2022 / Accepted: 17 July 2022 / Published: 20 July 2022

[Justfor_]

Don't know what they actually used, but there is a liquid sweetener under the name of carob honey or carob syrup. It is cheaper than bee's honey and can act as a substitute in sweets and food products.

[Graham49 in reply to Justfor_]

From the full paper: "Dried carob beans were purchased and authenticated by an academic expert, whose pulp and seeds were then powdered. For extract preparation, 200 g of the powder was

added to 800 ml of 70% ethanol, and the mixture was left to macerate at room temperature. Subsequently, the soaked beans were extracted through the percolation method, and the obtained extract was concentrated in a vacuum and dried on a flat surface (10)."