Extracts of a fruit grown on tropical vines may hold the key to preventing breast cancer, according to researchers.
Scientists have found key ingredients in bitter melon fruit which interfered with chemical pathways involved in cancer growth.
Bitter melon, sometimes called bitter gourd or wild cucumber, is grown in Asia, Africa and South America.
The elements found in the green and knobbly fruit turned off signals telling the breast cancer cells to divide and switched on signals encouraging them to commit suicide.
Dr Rajesh Agarwal from the University of Colorado, US co-author of the research published in the Cancer Research journal, said more trials were needed but signs were “promising” and trials on animals and humans were still needed.
He also said there is no proof that eating lots of bitter melon would offer any cancer protection.
Its extract has been used for many years in folk medicines as a remedy for diabetes and infections.
The researchers hope, ultimately, that the extract could be used as a dietary supplement for breast cancer patients to stop disease recurrence.
Dr Agarwal said: "Breast cancer is a major killer among women around the world, and in that perspective, results from this study are quite significant.
"This study may provide us with one more agent as an extract that could be used against breast cancer if additional studies hold true."
