Dietary phytochemical approaches to stem cell regulation

Part of regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy is about controlling stem cell proliferation. Substances from nature, such as phytochemicals (alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols and sterols) derived from herbs and foods, have modulating effects on stem cell self-renewal and function, and hold promise for stem cell treatment of disease.

Plants provide essential nutrients that contribute to disease prevention and treatment. Because plants are exposed to nature environmental change, they synthesize ingredients for acclimatization, which has therapeutic effects on humans. This has been true since ancient times, as many cultures have used herbs and other plants for therapeutic purposes.

According to a study, we could say that these phytochemicals are more promising than syntethic producs because they come from living organisms, as well as their innate sterochemistry and biological actions which allows their binding to protein pockets.

Nowadays, due to data from different studies, it is understood that phytochemicals regulate certain targets that are in charge of metabolic, transcriptionals and signaling mechanisms, all of them invaluable tools for stem cell survival and proliferation. These chemicals are critical for the drug developement aimed to stem cell modulation.

There are more studies that are focusing on alternative therapies such as herbal remedies or food ingredients because of their lesser toxicity, and affordable and available properties. These natural elements have all been of use throughout history for the making of drugs that improved human health and as treatment for diseases.

Investigating the proliferative and differentiation effects of phytochemicals on stem cells may provide in-depth insights into their disease-curing mechanisms.

What are these phytochemicals and in which foods are they present?

Carotenoids: organic compounds present in some vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, melon or tomatoes. Although it is essential, the human body is not able to synthesize them and must obtain them from food.

Polyphenols: they are a class of phytochemicals that have a strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action. Within this group, there is an important subgroup, the flavonoids, which have an antioxidant action, protecting cells from free radical damage. Isoflavones are an example of flavonoids. They can be found in tofu, chickpeas and soybeans.

Chlorophyll: it is the green pigment in plants that transforms sunlight into plant food. In the human body, it stimulates the formation of red blood cells and helps heal wounds due to its coagulant and antibacterial effect. It is found in all types of green vegetables and algae, such as Chlorella.

Terpenes: to this class belong the limonoids that protect the tissue of the respiratory system in general, but especially the lungs. They are found in cherries and citrus peels such as oranges and lemons.

Now that you have seen several studies that show that you have easy and natural alternatives to stem cell therapy, you can get started immediately. You can even use supplementations to add these phytochemicals into your daily diet, such as green powders.