A common toothpaste and mouthwash ingredient may prevent skin cancer, according to an Oct. 19 announcement by a UW-Madison professor-led research team at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Seattle.
UW-Madison assistant professor of dermatology Nihal Ahmad led the team that proved the alkaloid sanguinarine can enhance protein production to induce the death of ultraviolet-damaged skin cells.
""This natural compound may protect skin from cells that acquire the genetic damage caused by UV radiation from advancing toward cancer,"" Ahmad said in a statement.
Sanguinarine-treated cells previously damaged by UV-B rays were 49 to 66 percent more likely to die off than untouched cells.
The alkaloid is an anti-inflammatory compound and is often put in toothpastes to prevent the inflammatory gum disease gingivitis.
The PakTribune.com contributed to this report.
