苦瓜可以抑制胰腺癌和乳腺癌细胞

中国产的苦瓜可抑制癌细胞获取葡萄糖的能力，使其失去能量支持而死去。

美国科罗拉多大学癌症中心的科学家在对实验鼠进行研究后得出了上述结论。研究人员给实验鼠喂苦瓜汁，结果它们体内胰腺恶性肿瘤发展的几率降低了60%。

此前的研究显示，苦瓜果实可帮助治疗Ⅱ型糖尿病。这一蔬菜中的生物活性化合物能激活机体里一种叫AMPK的酶，这种酶有助于肌肉和脂肪细胞更有效地利用葡萄糖。

此外，美国圣路易斯大学的科学家早些时候证实，中国产苦瓜的提取物能消灭乳腺癌细胞。

研究人员表示，在亚洲传统医学中，苦瓜常被用于治疗腹绞痛、发烧、烧伤、慢性咳嗽、痛经等疾病。在非洲和亚洲的部分地区，它还可以用来愈合伤口，协助分娩，预防或治疗疟疾和麻疹、水痘等病毒性传染病。

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Bitter melon juice activates cellular energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase causing apoptotic death of human pancreatic carcinoma cells

Carcinogenesis, March 8, 2013 | doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgt081

Prognosis of pancreatic cancer is extremely poor, suggesting critical needs for additional drugs to improve disease outcome. In this study, we examined efficacy and associated mechanism of a novel agent bitter melon juice (BMJ) against pancreatic carcinoma cells both in culture and nude mice. BMJ anticancer efficacy was analyzed in human pancreatic carcinoma BxPC-3, MiaPaCa-2, AsPC-1 and Capan-2 cells by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, cell death enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and annexin/propidium iodide assays. BMJ effect on apoptosis regulators was assessed by immunoblotting. In vivo BMJ efficacy was evaluated against MiaPaCa-2 tumors in nude mice, and xenograft was analyzed for biomarkers by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results showed that BMJ (2–5% v/v) decreases cell viability in all four pancreatic carcinoma cell lines by inducing strong apoptotic death. At molecular level, BMJ caused caspases activation, altered expression of Bcl-2 family members and cytochrome-c release into the cytosol. Additionally, BMJ decreased survivin and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein but increased p21, CHOP and phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38) levels. Importantly, BMJ activated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a biomarker for cellular energy status, and an AMPK inhibitor (Compound C) reversed BMJ-induced caspase-3 activation suggesting activated AMPK involvement in BMJ-induced apoptosis. In vivo, oral administration of lyophilized BMJ (5mg in 100 μl water/day/mouse) for 6 weeks inhibited MiaPaCa-2 tumor xenograft growth by 60% (P < 0.01)="" without="" noticeable="" toxicity="" in="" nude="" mice.="" ihc="" analyses="" of="" miapaca-2="" xenografts="" showed="" that="" bmj="" also="" inhibits="" proliferation,="" induces="" apoptosis="" and="" activates="" ampk="" in="" vivo.="" overall,="" bmj="" exerts="" strong="" anticancer="" efficacy="" against="" human="" pancreatic="" carcinoma="" cells,="" both="" in="" vitro="" and="" in="" vivo,="" suggesting="" its="" clinical="">