Chlorophyll Essay -- Research Paper Science Cancer Papers

Chlorophyll Research Paper Many studies in the area of cancer research are opening up new possibilities for cures and prevention measures. One area of research is directed at the effects that chlorophyll may have on cancer cells within the human body. Research is being conducted to investigate whether chlorophyll has important cancer fighting factors that may play a role in the destruction of cancer cells or whether it is an effective preventive agent. Intensive research for naturally occurring plant products which reduce genotoxic effects are driven by the increasing exposure of humans to environmental toxins (Sarkar, 1994). Experimental evidence indicates a strong relationship and connection between diet and cancer prevention. One’s food choices have been consistently shown to be a determinant factor of human cancer risk (Arbogast, 1995). A positive correlation was shown between the chlorophyll content of vegetable extract with the vegetables’ antimutagenic activity (Sarkar, 1994). Chlorophyll is of considerable interest as an anticarcinogenic substance because it is so abundant in the green vegetables that humans consume. Chlorophyll also has shown no toxic effects to humans (Arbogast, 1995). It is not clear however whether effective uptake of chlorophyll through diet would be enough to protect against certain types of cancers or whether one would need to take supplements along with a balanced diet (Ar bogast, 1995) Derivatives of chlorophyll may also be an important aid in preventing or managing cancer. Research indicates that foods yielding chlorophyll derivatives may play a major role in cancer prevention. Chlorophyll derivatives have a high affinity for tumor tissue in comparison to normal... ...y, S., Poretz, R., and Segelman, A. Effect of Dietary Chlorophyll Derivatives on Mutagenesis and Tumor Cell Growth. Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis., 79 : 313-322, 1999. Hortensteiner, S., Ougham, H., and Thomas, H. Ring in the new, Ring out the old. IGER innovations., 1 : 1-5, 1998. McKinley, T. Class outline procedure protocol. Department of Biology. Concord College : 2002. Ross, C., Salisbury, F. Plant Physiology. Wadsworth Publishing Company., 3 : 181-183, 1985. Sarkar, D., Sharma, A., and Talukder, G. Chlorophyll and chlorophyllin as modifiers of genotoxic effects. Mutation Research., 318 : 239-247, 1994. Taiz, L., and Zeinger, E. Plant Physiology. The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company Inc. Redwood City, CA. : 179-218, 1991. Ting, I. Plant Physiology. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company Inc., 1: 400, 1982.