Effects of nutraceuticals on inflammation and tumorigenesis: A review

Nutraceuticals are bioactive compounds that integrate the functional properties of nutrients andpharmaceuticals, offering notable benefits in promoting health, preventing diseases, and providingtherapeutic solutions. Their capacity to influence biological pathways associated with chronicinflammation has garnered significant scientific attention. Chronic inflammation serves as a majorcontributor to carcinogenesis, driving processes such as cellular transformation, proliferation,invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. The therapeutic potential of nutraceuticals lies in theirability to target critical inflammatory pathways and transcription factors, including NF-κB andSTAT3, which play pivotal roles in regulating inflammatory and tumorigenic processes. Thesecompounds, encompassing polyphenols, vitamins, and other plant-derived bioactives, are alsorecognized for their antioxidative properties, which help mitigate oxidative stress, a key factor inthe progression of chronic diseases. Telomere length serves as a molecular clock, measuring thenumber of cell divisions and playing a crucial role in cellular aging. Telomeres shorten with eachcell division, leading to genomic instability and cellular aging. The enzyme telomerase helpsmaintain telomere length, crucial for delaying cellular senescence. Diets rich in omega-3 fattyacids, antioxidant vitamins, carotenoids, and polyphenols, such as the Mediterranean diet, canmitigate telomere shortening and promote genomic stability. Increased physical activity alsopositively influences telomere length, reducing oxidative damage and supporting healthy aging. Byalleviating oxidative and inflammatory damage, nutraceuticals support healthy aging and theprevention of inflammation-related diseases. Given their multifaceted effects on cellularmechanisms, nutraceuticals emerge as promising candidates for advancing therapeutic andpreventive strategies in modern medicine and nutrition. Their application in personalized andintegrative approaches warrants further research to fully unlock their potential in clinical settings.