Natural Products that Damage DNA

Definition

Natural products are chemicals found in nature, aside from those normally found in the host (excluding vitamins). These include alkaloids, terpenes, and other products of secondary metabolism, many of which are toxic and also damage DNA.

Discussion

Although much attention is given to anthropomorphic (man-made) chemicals in the etiology of cancer, many natural products are carcinogens and their reactions with DNA have been investigated in detail. Several are produced in plants (e.g., aristolochic acid), and some of the most notorious are found in microorganisms that contaminate food, e.g., aflatoxin B₁ (Fig. 1). Another related group of compounds is the N-nitrosamines, which can be formed from the reaction of amines with nitrite in the acidic environment of the stomach (Fig. 2a). A related group of chemicals is the heterocyclic amines, which arise from the condensation of amino acids (or creatinine) with carbohydrates in the burning of food, particularly meat (Fig. 2b).

Fig. 1