PMID: 6536607Jan 1, 1984Paper

Cocarcinogens of the tumour-promoter type as potential risk factors of cancer in man. A first complete experimental analysis of an etiological model situation and some of its consequences

IARC Scientific Publications
E Hecker

Abstract

The black and Creole population of the Caribbean island of Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles) is burdened by an exceedingly high rate of oesophageal cancer. As a part of the local diet, the fresh green leaves of the aromatic bush Croton flavens L., known locally as 'welensali', are used to prepare a 'bush tea' drunk commonly as a beverage. Additional habitual uses of the leaves and of other parts of the plant are widespread. Investigations of soluble extracts of roots and leaves of welensali and of welensali tea revealed the presence of a multitude of irritant 'welensali factors', of which there are essentially two activity types, F and F'. F-types exhibit strong initiation (or tumour)-promoting activity on the back skin of the mouse, qualitatively and quantitatively comparable with that of the chemically related and well established promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate. F'-types are less active than the corresponding F-types, yet they are 'cryptic promoters' operationally. F- and F'-types are, respectively, diterpene di- and triesters, with polyfunctional tigliane structures, e.g., welensali factor F1. Together, they comprise a minimum content of 0.32 and 0.04% in roots and fresh green leaves, respectively. Welensali tea...Continue Reading

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