A research group of the University of Granada has found out that maslinic acid, a compound present in the leaf and the olive skin wax extracted from alpeorujo (crushed olive pulp), has the capacity of preventing cancer as well as regulating apoptosis
Maslinic acid is a protease inhibitor that has the capacity of regulating cell growth and this means that it is useful for cancer treatment, as it enables control of the hyperplasia and hypertrophy processes, which are typical of this disease.
The University of Granada
press release states that the researchers have characterized for the first time maslinic acid action from the molecular point of view when it is applied to the development of tumour cells.
Ph D student Fernando Jesús Reyes Zurita, and Professor José Antonio Lupiáñez Cara, of the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I conducted the study.
There are three advantages of maslinic acid: Unlike other anti-carcinogenic products, it is a natural compound and, therefore, less toxic. In addition, it is selective, this is, it only acts on carcinogenic cells, whose pH is more acid than usual; third, it has a preventive nature, as it can inhibit cancer appearance in those cells with a higher predisposition to develop it.
The research group analyzed the effect of maslinic acid in the treatment of colon cancer; however, it can be used in different types of tumours. Their research was done using colon carcinoma lines and transgenic mice, but they have not dismissed the possibility of applying it to humans in the future.
Maslinic acid is a pentacyclic terpene which, besides being anti-carcinogenic, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and can be found in high concentrations in olive skin wax.
At present, the only production plant of this substance at a semi-industrial level in the whole world is at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Granada.
