Acacia-tree extract fights cancer in mice
By Nathan Seppa
Insects and fungi trying to invade the Australian desert tree Acacia victoriae face a hidden threat. The plant’s seeds grow in pods that harbor chemicals capable of biological havoc.
Researchers now report that these chemicals, called avicins, may have medical uses. In mammals, the substances cause abrupt cell death and hinder inflammation, a basic weapon of the immune system. Two studies in the Sept. 25 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) suggest that avicins might be harnessed to redirect their power against tumors and the chronic inflammation that often precedes cancer.