TY - JOUR
T1 - Phytol and its metabolites phytanic and pristanic acids for risk of cancer
T2 - current evidence and future directions
AU - Bobe, Gerd
AU - Zhang, Zhenzhen
AU - Kopp, Ryan
AU - Garzotto, Mark
AU - Shannon, Jackilen
AU - Takata, Yumie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/3/1
Y1 - 2020/3/1
N2 - This review summarizes the current evidence on the potential role of phytol, a microbial metabolite of chlorophyl A, and its metabolites, phytanic and pristanic acids, in carcinogenesis. Primary food sources in Western diets are the nut skin for phytol and lipids in dairy, beef and fish for its metabolites. Phytol and its metabolites gained interest as dietary compounds for cancer prevention because, as natural ligands of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α and -γ and retinoid X receptor, phytol and its metabolites have provided some evidence in cell culture studies and limited evidence in animal models of anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-metabolic-syndrome properties at physiological concentrations. However, there may be a narrow range of efficacy, because phytol and its metabolites at supra-physiological concentrations can cause in vitro cytotoxicity in non-cancer cells and can cause morbidity and mortality in animal models. In human studies, evidence for a role of phytol and its metabolites in cancer prevention is currently limited and inconclusive. In short, phytol and its metabolites are potential dietary compounds for cancer prevention, assuming the challenges in preventing cytotoxicity in non-cancer cells and animal models and understanding phytol metabolism can be mitigated.
AB - This review summarizes the current evidence on the potential role of phytol, a microbial metabolite of chlorophyl A, and its metabolites, phytanic and pristanic acids, in carcinogenesis. Primary food sources in Western diets are the nut skin for phytol and lipids in dairy, beef and fish for its metabolites. Phytol and its metabolites gained interest as dietary compounds for cancer prevention because, as natural ligands of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α and -γ and retinoid X receptor, phytol and its metabolites have provided some evidence in cell culture studies and limited evidence in animal models of anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-metabolic-syndrome properties at physiological concentrations. However, there may be a narrow range of efficacy, because phytol and its metabolites at supra-physiological concentrations can cause in vitro cytotoxicity in non-cancer cells and can cause morbidity and mortality in animal models. In human studies, evidence for a role of phytol and its metabolites in cancer prevention is currently limited and inconclusive. In short, phytol and its metabolites are potential dietary compounds for cancer prevention, assuming the challenges in preventing cytotoxicity in non-cancer cells and animal models and understanding phytol metabolism can be mitigated.
KW - cancer
KW - phytanic acid
KW - phytanic acid
KW - phytol
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85078870374&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85078870374&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000534
DO - 10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000534
M3 - Review article
C2 - 31436750
AN - SCOPUS:85078870374
SN - 0959-8278
VL - 29
SP - 191
EP - 200
JO - European Journal of Cancer Prevention
JF - European Journal of Cancer Prevention
IS - 2
ER -