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John M. Pezzuto

Bio: John M. Pezzuto is an academic researcher from Long Island University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Resveratrol & Reductase. The author has an hindex of 88, co-authored 588 publications receiving 35901 citations. Previous affiliations of John M. Pezzuto include Purdue University & Bandung Institute of Technology.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
10 Jan 1997-Science
TL;DR: It is suggested that resveratrol, a common constituent of the human diet, merits investigation as a potential cancer chemopreventive agent in humans.
Abstract: Resveratrol, a phytoalexin found in grapes and other food products, was purified and shown to have cancer chemopreventive activity in assays representing three major stages of carcinogenesis. Resveratrol was found to act as an antioxidant and antimutagen and to induce phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes (anti-initiation activity); it mediated anti-inflammatory effects and inhibited cyclooxygenase and hydroperoxidase functions (antipromotion activity); and it induced human promyelocytic leukemia cell differentiation (antiprogression activity). In addition, it inhibited the development of preneoplastic lesions in carcinogen-treated mouse mammary glands in culture and inhibited tumorigenesis in a mouse skin cancer model. These data suggest that resveratrol, a common constituent of the human diet, merits investigation as a potential cancer chemopreventive agent in humans.

4,786 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is found that resveratrol also directly inhibited the activity of COX-2, a phenolic antioxidant found in grapes and other food products, which is likely to be important for understanding the anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties of resver atrol.

773 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a naturally occurring compound shown to inhibit carcinogen-induced preneoplastic lesion formation in mouse mammary organ culture and tumorigenesis in the two-stage mouse skin model as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is a naturally occurring compound shown to inhibit carcinogen-induced preneoplastic lesion formation in mouse mammary organ culture and tumorigenesis in the two-stage mouse skin model. Cancer chemopreventive potential was also suggested in various assays reflective of the three major stages of carcinogenesis. Anti-initiation activity was indicated by its antioxidant and antimutagenic effects, inhibition of the hydroperoxidase function of cyclooxygenase (COX), and induction of phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes. Antipromotion activity was indicated by antiinflammatory effects, inhibition of production of arachidonic acid metabolites catalyzed by either COX-1 or COX-2, and chemical carcinogen-induced neoplastic transformation of mouse embryo fibroblasts. Antiprogression activity was demonstrated by its ability to induce human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cell differentiation. Moreover, pretreatment of mouse skin with resveratrol significantly counteracted 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced oxidative stress, as evidenced by numerous biochemical responses. Resveratrol reduced the generation of hydrogen peroxide, and normalized levels of myeloperoxidase and oxidized-glutathione reductase activities. It also restored glutathione levels and superoxide dismutase activity. As judged by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, resveratrol selectively inhibited TPA-induced expression of c-fos and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), but did not affect other TPA-induced gene products including COX-1, COX-2, c-myc, c-jun, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. These data indicate that resveratrol may interfere with reactive oxidant pathways and/or modulate the expression of c-fos and TGF-beta 1 to inhibit tumorigenesis in mouse skin. As reported herein, in addition to the activities described above, resveratrol inhibited the de novo formation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in mouse macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. This finding suggests an additional mechanism by which resveratrol may function as a cancer chemopreventive agent.

595 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A proposal is put forth to create a cancer chemoprevention drug formulation for utilization on a widespread basis by the general population, and the composition of the formulation should improve over time.

553 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: Of these substances, the hydroxystilbenes piceatannol and transresveratrol have thus far been shown to inhibit carcinogen-induced preneoplastic lesion formation in the mouse mammary gland organ culture model.
Abstract: Since reactive oxygen radicals play an important role in carcinogenesis and other human disease states, antioxidants present in consumable fruits, vegetables, and beverages have received considerable attention as cancer chemopreventive agents Thus, in order to identify antioxidants in plant extracts, test materials were assessed for potential to scavenge stable 1,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals, reduce TPA-induced free radical formation in cultured HL-60 human leukemia cells, and inhibit responses observed with a xanthine/xanthine oxidase assay system Approximately 700 plant extracts were evaluated, and 28 were found to be active in the DPPH free radical scavenging assay Based on secondary analyses performed to assess inhibition of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene-induced preneoplastic lesion formation with a mouse mammary organ culture model, Chorizanthe diffusa Benth (Polygonaceae), Mezoneuron cucullatum Roxb (Leguminosae), Cerbera manghas L (Apocynaceae) and Daphniphyllum calycinum Benth (Daphniphyllaceae) were selected and subjected to bioassay-guided fractionation 5,7,3',5'-Tetrahydroxy-8,4'-dimethoxyflavonol, 5,8,4'-trihydroxy-7,3'-dimethoxyflavonol, 5,3',4'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavonol, and 6,3',4'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavonol were identified as active principles from C diffusa Piceatannol, trans-resveratrol, apigenin and scirpusin A were found as the active principles of M cucullatum, olivil, (-)-carinol, and (+)-cycloolivil were active principles from C manghas, and 5,6,7,4'-tetrahydroxyflavone 3-O-rutinoside and kaempferol 3-O-neohesperidoside were active principles from D calycinum Of these substances, the hydroxystilbenes piceatannol and transresveratrol have thus far been shown to inhibit carcinogen-induced preneoplastic lesion formation in the mouse mammary gland organ culture model

491 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The current status of botanical screening efforts, as well as in vivo studies of their effectiveness and toxicity, are summarized and the structure and antimicrobial properties of phytochemicals are addressed.
Abstract: The use of and search for drugs and dietary supplements derived from plants have accelerated in recent years. Ethnopharmacologists, botanists, microbiologists, and natural-products chemists are combing the Earth for phytochemicals and “leads” which could be developed for treatment of infectious diseases. While 25 to 50% of current pharmaceuticals are derived from plants, none are used as antimicrobials. Traditional healers have long used plants to prevent or cure infectious conditions; Western medicine is trying to duplicate their successes. Plants are rich in a wide variety of secondary metabolites, such as tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids, which have been found in vitro to have antimicrobial properties. This review attempts to summarize the current status of botanical screening efforts, as well as in vivo studies of their effectiveness and toxicity. The structure and antimicrobial properties of phytochemicals are also addressed. Since many of these compounds are currently available as unregulated botanical preparations and their use by the public is increasing rapidly, clinicians need to consider the consequences of patients self-medicating with these preparations.

7,486 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The nature and contents of the various polyphenols present in food sources and the influence of agricultural practices and industrial processes are reviewed, and bioavailability appears to differ greatly between the variousPolyphenols, and the most abundantpolyphenols in the authors' diet are not necessarily those that have the best bioavailability profile.

6,842 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: PDT is being tested in the clinic for use in oncology — to treat cancers of the head and neck, brain, lung, pancreas, intraperitoneal cavity, breast, prostate and skin.
Abstract: The therapeutic properties of light have been known for thousands of years, but it was only in the last century that photodynamic therapy (PDT) was developed. At present, PDT is being tested in the clinic for use in oncology--to treat cancers of the head and neck, brain, lung, pancreas, intraperitoneal cavity, breast, prostate and skin. How does PDT work, and how can it be used to treat cancer and other diseases?

5,041 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
10 Jan 1997-Science
TL;DR: It is suggested that resveratrol, a common constituent of the human diet, merits investigation as a potential cancer chemopreventive agent in humans.
Abstract: Resveratrol, a phytoalexin found in grapes and other food products, was purified and shown to have cancer chemopreventive activity in assays representing three major stages of carcinogenesis. Resveratrol was found to act as an antioxidant and antimutagen and to induce phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes (anti-initiation activity); it mediated anti-inflammatory effects and inhibited cyclooxygenase and hydroperoxidase functions (antipromotion activity); and it induced human promyelocytic leukemia cell differentiation (antiprogression activity). In addition, it inhibited the development of preneoplastic lesions in carcinogen-treated mouse mammary glands in culture and inhibited tumorigenesis in a mouse skin cancer model. These data suggest that resveratrol, a common constituent of the human diet, merits investigation as a potential cancer chemopreventive agent in humans.

4,786 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: Western medicine has not yet used flavonoids therapeutically, even though their safety record is exceptional, and suggestions are made where such possibilities may be worth pursuing.
Abstract: Flavonoids are nearly ubiquitous in plants and are recognized as the pigments responsible for the colors of leaves, especially in autumn. They are rich in seeds, citrus fruits, olive oil, tea, and red wine. They are low molecular weight compounds composed of a three-ring structure with various substitutions. This basic structure is shared by tocopherols (vitamin E). Flavonoids can be subdivided according to the presence of an oxy group at position 4, a double bond between carbon atoms 2 and 3, or a hydroxyl group in position 3 of the C (middle) ring. These characteristics appear to also be required for best activity, especially antioxidant and antiproliferative, in the systems studied. The particular hydroxylation pattern of the B ring of the flavonoles increases their activities, especially in inhibition of mast cell secretion. Certain plants and spices containing flavonoids have been used for thousands of years in traditional Eastern medicine. In spite of the voluminous literature available, however, Western medicine has not yet used flavonoids therapeutically, even though their safety record is exceptional. Suggestions are made where such possibilities may be worth pursuing.

4,663 citations