Yerba Mate Tea May Prevent Colon Cancer

URBANA, Ill.Drinking yerba mate tea may be a natural and inexpensive way to prevent the development of colon cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. The findings suggest caffeine derivatives in mate tea not only induce death in human colon cancer cells, but also reduce important markers of inflammation that can trigger cancer progression.

For the study,  researchers at the University of Illinois isolated, purified and treated human colon cancer cells with caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) derivatives from mate tea. They found as they increased the CQA concentration, cancer cells died as a result of apoptosis. The researchers discovered certain CQA derivatives dramatically decreased several markers of inflammation, including NF-kappa-B, which regulates many genes that affect the process through the production of important enzymes. Ultimately cancer cells died with the induction of two specific enzymes, caspase-3 and caspase-8.

"If we can reduce the activity of NF-kappa-B, the important marker that links inflammation and cancer, we'll be better able to control the transformation of normal cells to cancer cells," the researchers said.

The researchers also noted because the colon and its microflora play a major role in the absorption and metabolism of caffeine-related compounds, the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of mate tea may be most useful in the colon.