ABSTRACT
TARIOUS phytochemicals have been suggested to show preventive effects on oxidative damage-related diseases, including cancer. For example, carotenoids and curcumin are predicted to be effective in this aspect. In fact, various natural carotenoids were proven to have anticarcinogenic activity in animal studies. It is of interest that some of these carotenoids showed greater potency than β-carotene. Thus, these carotenoids ( α-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin, phytoene, etc.), as well as β-carotene, may be useful for the purpose of cancer prevention. In the case of phytoene, the concept of bio-chemoprevention, which means a biotechnology-assisted method for chemoprevention, has been applied, and the establishment of mammalian cells producing phytoene was accomplished by the introduction of crtB gene, which encodes phytoene synthase. These cells were proven to acquire resistance against oxidative stress. We are planning to develop phytoene-containing animal foods in the future. It may be classified as a novel type of functional food that has preventive activity against oxidative damagerelated diseases, as well as the ability to reduce the accumulation of oxidized substances, which are hazardous to human health. Curcumin has also been proven in animal experiments to inhibit carcinogenesis in various organs. The 162combination of carotenoids and curcumin may increase the cancer chemopreventive activity.
