Plant Pectin: A Potential Source for Cancer Suppression

Pectin is a branched polysaccharide present widely in a variety of fruits. It has been of high interest to cancer biologists due to its involvement in metal/carcinogen detoxification and its anti-carcinogenic properties. In particular, Citrus Pectin (CP) and Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) have been shown to have a significant inhibitory role in cancer cell metastasis, invasion, angiogenesis and survival. The interactions and inactivation of oncogenes by CP and MCP in prostate, breast, liver, lung, melanoma and multiple myeloma cancers suggest that CP and MCP could play an important role in cancer chemotherapy and chemoprevention. In this review, we focus on the biological function of pectin with respect to its properties, sources, structure and its potential role in carcinogen detoxification and cancer suppression.