Unexpected property of strawberries caught scientists by surprise

Sensation in oncology: strawberries showed powerful anti-cancer effect. International scientists discovered the ability of strawberry extract to fight breast cancer cells. The revolutionary study was published in the prestigious journal Scientific Reports.

Scientists already knew that daily consumption of just 10-15 strawberries helps reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood. This bright berry is a true treasure trove of polyphenols – natural compounds with powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

As part of the new study, an international group of specialists from Europe and Latin America conducted a series of experiments with extract from the "Alba" strawberry variety. The scientists exposed aggressive cancer cells to this extract in laboratory conditions, using various concentrations and time intervals – 24, 48, and 72 hours.

The results were impressive: after three days of exposure, the concentrated extract significantly suppressed the activity of malignant cells. It blocked key mechanisms of their reproduction and spread. Moreover, the extract reduced the activity of genes responsible for tumor aggressiveness, while simultaneously enhancing the function of a gene that prevents metastasis formation.

Experiments on laboratory mice confirmed these promising results. The animals were divided into two groups: a control group receiving a standard diet, and an experimental group whose diet consisted of 15% strawberry extract. After a month, all mice were injected with aggressive breast cancer cells. Five weeks later, the tumors were extracted for analysis. In mice receiving strawberry extract, the growths were significantly smaller in size and less aggressive – they did not invade neighboring tissues.

Despite the encouraging results, researchers urge caution: it's too early to talk about using strawberries for treating breast cancer in humans. Additional large-scale studies are required.