# Physiological Effects of Green-Colored Food-Derived Bioactive Compounds on Cancer
###### Abstract  
Green-colored foods, such as broccoli, sprouts, soybean, and green leafy vegetables are considered one of the representative healthy foods for containing various functional ingredients that can combat chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Herein, we reviewed the anti-cancer activities and the underlying mechanisms of some important bioactive compounds, such as sulforapahane, catechins, chlorophyll, isoflavone, indole derivatives, and lutein, present in green-colored foods. In vivo and clinical studies suggest that sulforapahane, a sulfur-containing compound found in cruciferous vegetables, can ameliorate prostate and breast cancer symptoms by arresting cell-cycle progression and modulating Ki67 and HDAC expression. A green tea compound, known as epigallocatechin-3-gallulate (EGCG), has shown remarkable anti-cancer effects against prostate cancer and lung adenocarcinoma in human trials through its antioxidative defense and immunomodulatory functions. Chlorophyll, a natural pigment found in all green plants, can regulate multiple cancer-related genes, including cyclin D1, CYP1A, CYP1B1, and p53. Epidemiological studies indicate that chlorophyll can substantially reduce aflatoxin level and can mitigate colon cancer in human subjects. Remarkably, the consumption of soy isoflavone has been found to be associated with the lower incidence and mortality of breast and prostate cancers in East Asia and in Canada. In vivo and in vitro data point out that isoflavone has modulatory effects on estrogen and androgen signaling pathways and the expression of MAPK, Nr&B, Bcl-2, and PI3K/AKT in different cancer models. Other green food bioactive compounds, such as indole derivatives and lutein, also exhibited suppressing effects in rodent models of lung, liver, stomach, cervical, and prostate cancers. In addition, some micronutrients, such as folate, riboflavin, retinoic acid, and vitamin D3 present in green foods, also showed potential cancer suppressing effects. Taken together, these data suggest potential chemopre functions of the bioactive compounds from green-colored foods. This paper could be beneficial for further research on the anti-carcinogenic effects of green-colored food-derived compounds, in order to develop green chemotherapeutics for cancers. anti-cancer; green-colored food; sulforapahane; catechin derivatives; chlorophyll; isoflavone; indole derivatives; lutein +
Footnote †: journal: Medical  
the authors demonstrated that the consumption of cruciferous vegetables (a representative green-colored vegetable) and green and yellow vegetables could reduce total cancer risks. The study showed that the total cancer risk was inversely associated with cruciferous vegetables (RR = 0.88) and green leafy vegetables (RR = 0.84) intake. In particular, the risk of prostate cancer was found to be staggeringly decreased with the intake of cruciferous vegetables [5; 6; 7]. The same tendency was also presented in hazard ratios (HR) for lung cancer in a previous paper [8]. In that report, the subjects who served with 77.5% green leafy vegetable were identified with lower risk of lung cancer (HR = 0.70; 95% CI = 0.51-0.98; \(P\)-trend = 0.05). Hence, it is worth concluding that the constituents in green-colored food, such as cruciferous or green leafy vegetables, could be associated with lower incidence and mortality of cancer. Diverse compounds in green-colored foods have well-known anti-cancer benefits. Chlorophyll is one of the representative green compounds, which exist in green-colored foods. Chlorophyll is a photosynthetic pigment present in the thylakoid membrane of chloroplast in plants [9]. On a dry weight basis, chlorophyll is estimated to comprise 0.6-1.2% of the total mass of higher plants [10]. Besides its use as a coloring agent, chlorophyll has been extensively studied for its potential anti-cancer benefits.