| MadSci Network: Botany |
What are the effects in plants when they are inoculated with a carcinogen?
A plant will only respond to a plant carcinogen or at least a compound which may induce 'cancer' in a plant. Usually the response will be a gall or abnormal amount of plant cells formed at a specific site affected by the carcinogenic agent. For example some galls on plants are a form of plant cancer caused by a wasp. However not all compounds which cause cancer in humans or animals will cause the plant to also have a cancer. Plant cancer causing compounds may not affect humans or animals.
Will betacarotene help fight the cancer?
There are a chain of events which lead up to a full blown cancer. There is usually an initiator and then the cancer causing agent itself. Betacarotene may interfere with one or the other of the actions of these compounds and therefore help PREVENT cancer. Once a cancer is in place the the method to control it is to kill the cancer causing cells.
Do you have any resources you can direct me to?
You may wish to log into these web sites:
http://www.allianthealth.com/norton/question.htm
http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod03/01701260.html
http://www.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod03/01701233.html
There are many 'cancer' sites on the web. For plant cancers you may want to look into plant diseases. Hospitals or pharmacies will have information on betacarotene. Thanks for the interesting question.
John McCoy
Emily Kelly