Recent research has revealed that natural compounds known as oligosaccharides, extracted from apples, can kill up to 46% of human colon cancer cells in vitro. Remarkably, these compounds outperformed the most commonly used chemotherapy drug at every concentration tested. (Updated May 19, 2022)

Unlike toxic chemotherapy drugs, oligosaccharides are natural, health-promoting compounds commonly found in fruits and vegetables, making them a potentially safer alternative for cancer treatment.

Could a Natural Compound Combat One of the Leading Causes of Cancer Death?

Colon cancer is currently the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide and the third leading cause among men. Despite advances in treatment, the standard chemotherapy drugs for colon cancer have shown limited effectiveness and are often associated with serious side effects, including coronary spasm, neurotoxicity, anemia, and immune system suppression.

Researchers turned to apples as a potential natural solution due to their wide availability and previous evidence showing their activity against multiple cancers, including breast, ovarian, lung, liver, and colon cancer. Apples are one of the most commonly consumed fruits globally, making them an attractive, accessible source of therapeutic compounds.

How Apple Oligosaccharides Work

In this study, scientists in Xi’an, China, isolated polysaccharides—such as pectin and other fibers—from apple pomace, the leftover material from apple juice production. These polysaccharides were then treated with natural pectinase enzymes to break them into smaller molecules called oligosaccharides, containing only three to ten sugar units each.

The oligosaccharides were added to cultured human HT29 colon cancer cells at various concentrations and compared with the most commonly used chemotherapy drug for colon cancer.

At every concentration tested, the apple oligosaccharides were more effective than the chemo drug at inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis) in the cancer cells.

For instance, at just 0.9 micrograms per mL (0.9 ppm), oligosaccharides killed 17.6% of colon cancer cells after 36 hours, while the chemotherapy drug killed only 10.9%, even at a higher concentration of 1.3 micrograms per mL.

A major advantage of apple oligosaccharides is that they are non-toxic to healthy cells, allowing researchers to safely use higher concentrations. At 9.0 ppm, oligosaccharides destroyed 46% of colon cancer cells, a level at which the chemotherapy drug could not be tested due to toxicity concerns.

Oligosaccharides: A Functional Food With Multiple Health Benefits

Oligosaccharides have increasingly gained attention as functional foods that promote overall health. They are naturally present in many fruits, vegetables, algae, honey, and milk, and are also used as additives in foods to improve gut health, such as fructo-oligosaccharides.

Studies have shown that oligosaccharides can:

• Promote healthy gut microbiota,

• Help regulate blood sugar levels,

• Support immune system function, and

• Provide prebiotic benefits that improve nutrient absorption.

In addition, oligosaccharides can be formed by breaking down more complex carbohydrates, like pectin, with enzymes—similar to the method used in this study. Interestingly, eating raw apples may naturally trigger some of this conversion, as apples contain about 1.5% pectin and the enzyme pectinase, though the effect is less concentrated than in lab-prepared extracts.

It is important to note that most commercially processed apple juice contains almost no pectin or active enzymes and retains only about 10% of the polyphenols found in fresh apples. This highlights that eating raw, fresh apples is far more beneficial than consuming processed versions.

A Sustainable and Low-Cost Natural Medicine

This study reinforces the anti-cancer potential of apples and the potent effects of their oligosaccharides, even at low concentrations. What makes this discovery particularly promising is that these compounds can be derived from apple pomace, a widely available byproduct of the apple juice industry. With approximately four million tons of pomace produced annually, this presents a sustainable, cost-effective source of natural medicine for future cancer therapies.

If further clinical studies confirm these findings in humans, apple oligosaccharides could one day become a safe, natural adjunct or alternative to traditional chemotherapy, offering hope for millions affected by colon cancer.