Stevia might be more than just a zero-calorie sweetener. Recent research from Hiroshima University suggests that stevia leaf extract, when fermented with specific bacteria from banana leaves, can target and kill pancreatic cancer cells without harming healthy kidney cells.
The findings, published on April 28 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, highlight a potential new avenue for natural anticancer treatments.
“Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest cancers worldwide, with a five-year survival rate below 10%,” said Narandalai Danshiitsoodol, associate professor at the Department of Probiotic Science for Preventive Medicine. “It is highly invasive and resistant to conventional treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, making the search for new, effective therapies critical.”
Fermentation Enhances Stevia’s Anticancer Properties
While previous studies hinted at stevia’s anticancer potential, isolating the bioactive compounds responsible has been challenging. This new study explored the power of microbial fermentation, which can structurally transform plant extracts to produce potent bioactive compounds.
Professor Masanori Sugiyama, corresponding author of the study, explained:
“Microbial biotransformation is a promising strategy to enhance the pharmacological effects of plant extracts. In our lab, we’ve isolated and studied over 1,300 lactic acid bacteria strains from fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal plants.”
For this study, the researchers fermented stevia leaf extract with Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T, creating what they call FSLE. They tested FSLE on pancreatic cancer (PANC-1) cells and compared it to non-cancerous human embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293), as well as non-fermented stevia extract.
Key Findings
FSLE was significantly more toxic to pancreatic cancer cells than non-fermented stevia extract, indicating fermentation boosts its anticancer activity.
Healthy kidney cells remained largely unaffected, even at high concentrations of FSLE.
Analysis identified chlorogenic acid methyl ester (CAME) as the key anticancer compound. Fermentation reduced the original chlorogenic acid in the extract six-fold, demonstrating microbial transformation.
CAME showed stronger pro-apoptotic effects, meaning it effectively encouraged cancer cells to self-destruct.
“Our results suggest that specific bacterial enzymes can transform plant compounds into more potent anticancer agents,” said Danshiitsoodol.
What’s Next?
The team plans to test FSLE in mouse models to evaluate its effectiveness in a full-body system and determine optimal dosing.
“This study not only sheds light on the role of Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T in enhancing herbal extracts but also opens the door for probiotics to be used as natural anti-tumor agents,” Danshiitsoodol added.
This exciting research hints at a future where stevia, a familiar sweetener, could become part of innovative natural therapies for pancreatic cancer.