GUELPH - New research out of the University of Guelph could hold yet another key in the fight against serious disease, including leukemia.
The secret could be in your breakfast.
Researchers have been looking at the impact of a compound found in avocados.
The thought is to look at the potential at regulating cell metabolism, with a focus on cancer, diabetes and obesity.
“Over several weeks, researchers fed these mice a compound known as avocatin B, a molecule found mainly in avocados, and examined its impact on stem cells,” the university said in a news release.
“Stem cells in the bone marrow usually create healthy blood cells, but in diseased states like leukemia and obesity, that process is disturbed.”
U of G said it is the first time the compound showed leukemia relapse and recurrence compared to controlled diets. It also says the compound led to an overall reduction in leukemia cells and slowed the rate of cancer cell growth.
There were other impacts, according to lead researcher Paul Spagnuolo, a food sciences professor at the Ontario Agricultural College.
The molecule supported a recovery rate of 58 per cent in healthy stem cells in bone marrow.
It also led to improved weight loss and insulin sensitivity restoration.
Spagnuolo said the changes in bone marrow and the dietary change is “significant and very exciting.”
It isn’t a cure, but he said the inhibiting process could help with cancer treatment, including neuroblastoma and breast cancer.
For now, he said more research is needed to look at avocatin B’s impact through longer stretches of time and how applicable this is on humans.
“We hope this provides a platform for additional studies that will eventually look at dietary interventions for those suffering from cancer or other metabolic conditions,” he said.