Olive Oil Compound Kills Cancer Cells

Extra virgin olive oil is abundant in oleocanthal, a compound for which previous studies have suggested heart-healthy benefits.  David Foster, from Hunter College (New York, USA), and colleagues employed a cell culture model to study the effects of oleocanthal on human cancer cell lines. The  team observed that “[oleocanthal] induced cell death in all cancer cells examined – as rapidly as 30 minutes after treatment …”, by inducing lysosomal membrane permeabilization to result in a  rupturing of vesicles that store cellular waste.  The study authors submit that: “targeting lysosomal membrane stability represents a novel approach to induce cancer-specific cell death.”