Hidden Chemistry Behind Cancer-Fighting Plant Compounds

Nature’s assembly line, decoded.

STARTER STATS

• Approximately 2 in 5 Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, with cancer claiming the lives of 1 in 4.

• Among men, prostate cancer is the most common, followed by lung and colorectal.

• Among women, breast cancer is the most common, followed by lung and colorectal cancer.

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A research team at UBC Okanagan has uncovered how tropical plants produce mitraphylline, a rare compound with promising anti-tumour properties.

Mitraphylline belongs to a family of molecules with potent anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects, but the mechanisms of their formation have eluded scientists for decades. Building on a 2023 breakthrough, Professor Thu‑Thuy Dang’s team identified two key enzymes that work in tandem.

“This is similar to finding the missing links in an assembly line. It answers a long-standing question about how nature builds these complex molecules and gives us a new way to replicate that process.”

— Dr. Thu‑Thuy Dang

The discovery offers a molecular “blueprint” for replicating these structures in the lab, helping researchers produce the compound sustainably without harvesting rare tropical plants. This will allow mitraphylline to be synthesized more efficiently through biotechnology, opening the door to scalable production and expanding possibilities for green chemistry innovations in drug design.

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