Can phytochemical antioxidant rich foods act as anti-cancer agents?

The search for therapeutic anticancer agents from plant-based foods became the work of numerous researchers when epidemiological studies showed a relationship between the low incidence of cancer and the intake of plant-based foods. These researchers were especially interested in plant-based foods with high antioxidant capacities because of the important role antioxidants have been postulated to play in the prevention and treatment of certain cancers. However, at present there is no conclusive proof that high antioxidant activity is a good indicator of high anticancer activity. This poses a challenge for researchers to directly test this hypothesis and resolve the debate. This review summarized the data on both sides of the debate.

► This review raise a debate about correlations between antioxidant activity and anticancer activity of plant-based foods.
► Supporting evidence highlights several positive correlations.
► Conflicting evidence disproves the positive correlations.
► Phytochemicals can interfere carcinogenesis via different mechanisms.
► Antioxidant capacity of plant-based foods is not a good indicator of cancer therapeutic utility of these foods.