Stevia, often known as a zero-calorie sugar substitute, may offer more than just sweetness.
Researchers from Hiroshima University have discovered that stevia leaf extract, when fermented with a special kind of bacteria from banana leaves, can kill pancreatic cancer cells while leaving healthy kidney cells unharmed.
Their study was published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the world, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10%. It spreads quickly, is hard to treat, and doesn’t respond well to current treatments like surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
Because of this, researchers are urgently searching for new ways to fight this disease, especially with compounds from natural plants.
Previous studies had already suggested that stevia leaf extract might fight cancer. But scientists have struggled to isolate the exact parts of the plant that are effective. Fermenting the extract with bacteria can change its chemical makeup, producing new substances that may be even more powerful against cancer.
In this study, the research team used a bacterial strain called Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T, which was originally found on plants.
They fermented stevia leaf extract with this bacteria and compared it to regular, non-fermented extract. They tested both versions on pancreatic cancer cells (called PANC-1) and on healthy kidney cells (called HEK-293) in a lab.
The results were promising. The fermented stevia leaf extract (called FSLE) was much more effective at killing pancreatic cancer cells than the non-fermented version. Even better, it caused very little harm to healthy cells, even when used in high doses.
Further investigation revealed that a compound called chlorogenic acid methyl ester (CAME) was the key ingredient in the fermented extract that helped kill the cancer cells. The original stevia extract contained chlorogenic acid, but after fermentation, the amount of this acid dropped sharply, showing that the bacteria had transformed it into CAME.
This transformation was likely caused by enzymes in the Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T bacteria. The researchers found that CAME was more toxic to pancreatic cancer cells and better at triggering cell death than the original chlorogenic acid. These findings suggest that fermentation can enhance the cancer-fighting abilities of plant-based substances.
The research team plans to continue this work by testing the fermented extract in mice. They want to learn more about how it works in a living body and what the best dosages might be.
This study not only helps us understand how fermentation can change plant extracts but also opens up the possibility of using probiotics—friendly bacteria—as natural tools to help fight cancer.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about a new method to treat cancer effectively, and this low-dose, four-drug combo may block cancer spread.
For more health information, please see recent studies about nutrient in fish that can be a poison for cancer, and results showing this daily vitamin is critical to cancer prevention.
The study is published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
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