Anticancer Properties of Aqueous Extracts from Leguminosae

Inflammation and cancer are diseases caused by genetic and environmental factors as well as altered microbiota. Diet plays a role, with leguminous such as beans (Phaseolus vulgaris, Vicia faba), chickpeas (Cicer arietinum), lentils (Lens culinaris), peas (Pisum sativum) and soybeans (Glycine max), known to prevent such diseases. Processing of food leguminous yields aqueous side streams. These products are nothing short of water extracts of leguminous, containing albumin, globulin, saponins, and oligosaccharides. This review analysed the most recent findings on the anticancer activities of legume-soluble nutrients. Albumin from chickpeas and peas inhibits the pro-inflammatory mediator interleukins, while soy Bowman–Birk Inhibitor inhibits serine proteases. The peptide vicilin activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, mediating triglyceride metabolism. Soyasaponins promote apoptosis of cancer cells by activating caspases and by enhancing the concentration of intracellular calcium. Soyasapogenol regulates specific protein pathways, leading to apoptosis. Oligosaccharides such as raffinose and stachyose promote the synthesis of short chain fatty acids, balancing the intestinal microbiota, as result of their prebiotic activity. Verbascoside also modulate signalling pathways, leading to apoptosis. In closing, water extracts of leguminous have the potential to be efficient anticancer ingredients, by means of numerous mechanisms based on the raw material and the process.