Legume Compounds May Help Cancer Treatment

Link to Article

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Legume Research (CILR) screened legumes (plants which obtain useable nitrogen from soil bacteria in their roots) for biological activity and they identified a number of compounds which could potentially prevent the formation of a blood supply to tumours. Without an adequate blood supply tumours stop growing and ultimately can regress.

The anti-cancer molecules are produced by legumes during the early symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria known as rhizobia. Rhizobia induce legumes to form tiny new root organs called "root nodules." The bacteria live in the nodules and provide the plant with useable nitrogen it can convert into proteins.

Legumes comprise the third largest group of flowering plants in the world with more than 18,000 species. Examples of legumes include garden peas, peanuts, clover, lentils, chickpeas and various beans such as soybean and green beans.