Chemical Composition, Functional and Anticancer Properties of Carrot

Abstract

Plants are a valuable source of drugs for cancer treatment. Daucus carota has been investigated for its health properties. In particular, Daucus carota L. subsp. Sativus, the common edible carrot root, has been found to be rich in bioactive compounds such as carotenoids and dietary fiber and contains many other functional components with significant health-promoting features, while Daucus carota L. subsp. Carrot (Apiacae), also known as wild carrot, has been usually used for gastric ulcer therapy, diabetes, and muscle pain in Lebanon. Here, we review the chemical composition of Daucus carota L. and the functional properties of both edible and wild carrot subspecies. Then, we focus on compounds with anticancer characteristics identified in both Daucus carota subspecies, and we discuss their potential use in the development of novel anticancer therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: Daucus carota L. phytochemicals; anti-metastatic compounds; anti-proliferative compounds; polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).

Figure 1

(A) Schematic representation of Daucus Carota L. Its different parts are reported: petiol, hypocotyl, and root and its cross-section, where the phloem and xylem are represented. (B) Carrot white flowers; (C) D. carota subsp. carota (wild carrot); (D) D. carota subsp. Sativus (domestic white carrot); (E) D. carota subsp. Sativus (domestic yellow carrot); (F) D. carota subsp. Sativus (domestic orange carrot); (G) D. carota subsp. Sativus (domestic violet carrot).

Figure 2

Structure of β-carotene.

Figure 3

Structures of PCs. Here, the main PCs, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic acids, are reported.

Figure 4

Structures of vitamins. Here, water- and fat-soluble vitamins are reported.

Figure 5

Structures of fatty acids and their derivatives. Here, the main fatty acids (FAs) present in carrots are reported: saturated FAs, unsaturated FAs, “unusual” unsaturated fatty acid precursors of the acetylenic oxylipins, and the most common falcarinol-type oxylipins.

Figure 6

Oncogenic signaling and its modulation by carrot compounds. In this simplified cartoon, the MAPK/PI3K pathways involved in cell survival, proliferation, and cell cycle progression, as well as the apoptosis (intrinsic and extrinsic routes) and inflammation pathways, are illustrated. The influence of carrot compounds is represented: a stimulatory effect is indicated by a green arrow, while suppression is represented by a red vertical line with a small horizontal line. The downward black arrows between brackets indicate a downregulation effect induced by these compounds.

Figure 7

Carrot compounds and their metastasis regulation. Main key factors/processes leading to metastasis are reported. The upward and downward red arrows indicate the effect of upregulation and downregulation mediated by the carrot compounds, respectively, on the factors indicated.

Figure 8

Carrot compounds and multidrug resistance, MDR. The more studied ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux transporters belonging to the superfamily of ABC proteins are reported: P-glycoprotein (P-gp), ABCG2/BCRP, and MRP1. Moreover, the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway is also illustrated.