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The Irish Sun
21-07-2025
- Health
- The Irish Sun
Common sweetener in fizzy drinks and yoghurt ‘can kill off the deadliest cancer'
A COMMON sugar substitute in fizzy drinks, yoghurts and gum could be used to combat one of the deadliest kinds of cancer. Researchers fermented the zero calorie sweetener and tested it against Advertisement 2 Stevia extract could be used to help fight pancreatic cancer, researchers suggested Credit: Getty 2 They tested fermented extracts against pancreatic cancer cells in a lab dish Credit: Getty In the UK, about 10,800 people are diagnosed with It's the fifth most common cause of Previous research has suggested that stevia leaf extracts could have potential "anticancer effects". Advertisement But isolating specific substances within the herb that could help protect against cancer and using them has remained challenging. Researchers from Hiroshima University suggested fermenting stevia with bacteria can structurally change the extract and produce bioactive metabolites - compounds that can impact living organisms. Study author Masanori Sugiyama, a professor in the Department of Probiotic Science for Preventive Medicine , said The team tested their theory out against pancreatic cancer cells. Advertisement Most read in Health Exclusive Exclusive "Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumour of the digestive system with a poor prognosis," co-author Prof Narandalai Danshiitsoodol said. "Globally, the incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer continue to rise, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10 per cent. The most common symptoms of pancreatic cancer - as patients share their stories "The primary reason "Furthermore, pancreatic cancer is highly invasive and prone to metastasis, showing significant resistance to existing treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, and Advertisement "Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new and effective anticancer compounds, particularly those derived from medicinal plants." Researchers used lactic acid bacteria to ferment stevia extracts. They isolated over 1200 strains from fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal plants and evaluated their health benefits . They finally landed on Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain (FSLE) derived from banana leaves "to enhance the antioxidant and anticancer activities of stevia leaf extract through fermentation". Advertisement They tested fermented and non-fermented stevia extracts against pancreatic cancer cells in lab dishes. Fermented stevia killed pancreatic cancer cells more efficiently than the non-fermented extract, the study published in the Symptoms of pancreatic cancer PANCREATIC cancer doesn't always cause symptoms in its early stages. As the cancer grows and you do begin to show signs, these may come and go and be unspecific, making it hard to diagnose, according to Common symptoms include: Indigestion - a painful, burning feeling in your chest with an unpleasant taste in your mouth Diarrhoea and constipation - see a GP if you have runny poos for more than seven days, especially if you've lost weight as well Steatorrhoea - pale, oily poo that's bulky, smells horrible and floats, making it hard to flush Losing a lot of weight without meaning to Jaundice - yellow skin and eyes, as well as dark pee, pale poo and itchy skin This suggested that "the fermentation process enhances the bioactivity of the [stevia] extract", Prof Sugiyama said. Researchers tested out different fermentation levels to see which was most effective against cancer cells. Advertisement Lower concentrations didn't kill cancer cells immediately, but they slowed their growth. Healthy kidney cells were mostly unaffected by the stevia extracts. Researchers plan to study how fermented stevia affects cancer in mice next , to see how various dosages will work in living organisms. 'The present study has substantially enhanced our understanding of the mechanism of action of the Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain in the fermentation of herbal extracts, while also offering a valuable research perspective on the potential application of probiotics as natural anti-tumour agents,' Prof Danshiitsoodol said. Advertisement Since the early 1990s, pancreatic cancer incidence rates have increased by 18 per cent in the UK. The disease is often diagnosed at a late stage because it frequently lacks noticeable symptoms in the early stages. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can help extend patients' li ves. Read more on the Irish Sun A blood test to pick up early signs of pancreatic cancer is being trialled in patients with a recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes - a known risk factor for the disease. Advertisement Meanwhile, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic have developed a new type of jab to fight .
Scottish Sun
21-07-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Common sweetener in fizzy drinks and yoghurt ‘can kill off the deadliest cancer'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A COMMON sugar substitute used in fizzy drinks, yoghurts and gum could be used to combat one of the deadliest kinds of cancer. Researchers fermented the zero calorie sweetener and tested it against pancreatic cancer - finding that it killed off malignant cells but didn't harm healthy ones. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Stevia extract could be used to help fight pancreatic cancer, researchers suggested Credit: Getty 2 They tested fermented extracts against pancreatic cancer cells in a lab dish Credit: Getty Stevia is a shrub-like herb used to sweeten drinks and desserts instead of sugar, which can also be bought as powder or tablets. Previous research has suggested that stevia leaf extracts could have potential "anticancer effects". But isolating specific substances within the herb that could help protect against cancer and using them has remained challenging. Researchers from Hiroshima University suggested fermenting stevia with bacteria can structurally change the extract and produce bioactive metabolites - compounds that can impact living organisms. Study author Masanori Sugiyama, a professor in the Department of Probiotic Science for Preventive Medicine, said fermentation - or "microbial bio-transformation" - could "enhance the pharmacological efficacy of natural plant extracts" like stevia. The team tested their theory out against pancreatic cancer cells. "Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumour of the digestive system with a poor prognosis," co-author Prof Narandalai Danshiitsoodol said. "Globally, the incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer continue to rise, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10 per cent. "The primary reason pancreatic cancer is considered one of the deadliest cancers is its subtle, insidious onset, with most patients being diagnosed at an advanced stage and missing the optimal treatment window. "Furthermore, pancreatic cancer is highly invasive and prone to metastasis, showing significant resistance to existing treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, resulting in very limited therapeutic efficacy. The most common symptoms of pancreatic cancer - as patients share their stories "Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new and effective anticancer compounds, particularly those derived from medicinal plants." Researchers used lactic acid bacteria to ferment stevia extracts. They isolated over 1200 strains from fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal plants and evaluated their health benefits. They finally landed on Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain (FSLE) derived from banana leaves "to enhance the antioxidant and anticancer activities of stevia leaf extract through fermentation". They tested fermented and non-fermented stevia extracts against pancreatic cancer cells in lab dishes. Fermented stevia killed pancreatic cancer cells more efficiently than the non-fermented extract, the study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found. This suggested that "the fermentation process enhances the bioactivity of the [stevia] extract", Prof Sugiyama said. Researchers tested out different fermentation levels to see which was most effective against cancer cells. Symptoms of pancreatic cancer PANCREATIC cancer doesn't always cause symptoms in its early stages. As the cancer grows and you do begin to show signs, these may come and go and be unspecific, making it hard to diagnose, according to Pancreatic Cancer UK. Common symptoms include: Indigestion - a painful, burning feeling in your chest with an unpleasant taste in your mouth Tummy or back pain - it may start as general discomfort or tenderness in the tummy area and spread to the back, which get worse lying down and feel better is you sit forward Diarrhoea and constipation - see a GP if you have runny poos for more than seven days, especially if you've lost weight as well Steatorrhoea - pale, oily poo that's bulky, smells horrible and floats, making it hard to flush Losing a lot of weight without meaning to Jaundice - yellow skin and eyes, as well as dark pee, pale poo and itchy skin Lower concentrations didn't kill cancer cells immediately, but they slowed their growth. Healthy kidney cells were mostly unaffected by the stevia extracts. Researchers plan to study how fermented stevia affects cancer in mice next, to see how various dosages will work in living organisms. 'The present study has substantially enhanced our understanding of the mechanism of action of the Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain in the fermentation of herbal extracts, while also offering a valuable research perspective on the potential application of probiotics as natural anti-tumour agents,' Prof Danshiitsoodol said. In the UK, about 10,800 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and 9,600 pass away from it, according to Cancer Research UK. It's the fifth most common cause of cancer death. Since the early 1990s, pancreatic cancer incidence rates have increased by 18 per cent in the UK. The disease is often diagnosed at a late stage because it frequently lacks noticeable symptoms in the early stages. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can help extend patients' lives. A blood test to pick up early signs of pancreatic cancer is being trialled in patients with a recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes - a known risk factor for the disease. Meanwhile, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic have developed a new type of jab to fight pancreatic cancer.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Popular sugar alternative found safe and even effective at killing pancreatic cancer cells
Cancer prevention might just become a 'sweet' journey. That too, with the help of a natural sweetener! According to a recent study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences , stevia might pave the way for effective prevention of pancreatic cancer. How? Read on to know more. The 'sweet' breakthrough: Stevia might soon be more than just a sweetener! Researchers have discovered that when stevia is fermented with a bacterium found in banana leaves, it can effectively target pancreatic cancer cells while leaving healthy kidney cells unharmed. While discussing the recent study result, study co-author Narandalai Danshiitsoodol from Hiroshima University, said, 'Globally, the incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer continue to rise, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10%,' adding, 'Pancreatic cancer is highly invasive and prone to metastasis, showing significant resistance to existing treatments, such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. As such, there is an urgent need to identify new and effective anticancer compounds, particularly those derived from medicinal plants.' What did the study reveal? For the study, the research team used a specific bacterium, Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T, to ferment stevia leaves. They compared the fermented version (which they call FSLE) to regular stevia extract and found that FSLE performed better in every way they tested. As Masanori Sugiyama explained, 'To enhance the pharmacological efficacy of natural plant extracts, microbial biotransformation has emerged as an effective strategy.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AirSense 11 – Smart tech for deep sleep ResMed Buy Now Undo They optimized the fermentation process and found that stevia was most effective when fermented for 72 hours, at 37°C, without oxygen. The results were impressive: fermented stevia effectively killed pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1) while barely affecting healthy cells, even at higher doses. This selectivity is crucial for safe cancer treatments. Instead of an immediate kill, FSLE sometimes slowed down cancer cell growth, making them look weak and unhealthy. Fermented stevia also showed strong antioxidant properties, which is essential since oxidative stress is a big factor in cancer development. It neutralized free radicals more effectively than the non-fermented version, achieving a 94% scavenging power in one test. What's the takeaway? Researchers believe that fermentation transforms compounds into more active versions. For example, a compound called chlorogenic acid is converted into chlorogenic acid methyl ester (CAME) during fermentation. CAME was found to be more effective than regular chlorogenic acid in halting cancer cell growth and triggering cancer cell self-destruction. Its potency was significant: the dose needed to kill half the cancer cells was much lower for CAME compared to regular chlorogenic acid. CAME works by blocking the cell cycle and forcing cells into apoptosis, their self-destruct mode. On a genetic level, CAME influenced genes associated with cell death, activating pro-apoptotic genes while shutting down those that prevent cell death. This supports the observed effects, showing that CAME doesn't just kill cells randomly; it drives them into a specific self-destruction pathway. To sum up in simpler terms, this research suggests that fermented stevia could be a promising new avenue for effective cancer treatment, particularly for hard-to-treat pancreatic cancer. What is stevia? Stevia is a sweet sugar substitute that is about 50 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. It is extracted from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, a plant (shrub) native to tropical and subtropical America, and areas of Paraguay and Brazil. The active compounds in stevia are steviol glycosides, and the leaves may be used as a calorie-free substitute for sugar. Stevia is heat-stable, pH-stable, and not fermentable. More than just a sweetener: Stevia is not just a substitute for sugar anymore; it's stepping up its game! Thanks to fermentation, researchers have discovered that stevia extract can be transformed into a compound that fights cancer while leaving healthy cells unharmed. This exciting change is linked to specific enzymes from a bacterial strain called SN13T. As per Danshiitsoodol, 'This microbial transformation was likely due to specific enzymes in the bacteria strain used.' The findings show that this new compound, CAME, is more effective at harming cancer cells and promoting cell death in PANC-1 cells than chlorogenic acid alone. The way ahead: What's next for this research? The team has plans to take their work from the lab to the real world, with mouse studies coming up. This will test if fermented stevia can work within living systems, which have complex immune responses and metabolism. According to Danshiitsoodol, 'The present study has substantially enhanced our understanding of the mechanism of action of the Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain in the fermentation of herbal extracts, while also offering a valuable research perspective on the potential application of probiotics as natural anti-tumor agents.' Going by this research, with the right microbes, even a simple leaf like stevia could become a powerful weapon against cancer. It's not bad for a sugar substitute anymore; it's a natural and valuable component with more than its sweetening qualities. Cancer immunotherapy may also treat certain autoimmune diseases, claims study
