Review articles

Fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE) is a multisubstance composition and, besides others, contains 2-methoxy benzoquinone and 2,6-dimethoxy benzoquinone which are likely to exert some of its biological effects. FWGE interferes with anaerobic glycolysis, pentose cycle and ribonucleotide reductase. It has significant antiproliferative effects and kills tumor cells by the induction of apoptosis via the caspase-poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase-pathway. FWGE interacts synergistically with a variety of different anticancer drugs and exerted antimetastatic properties in mouse models.

Many healthy foods are derived from wheat germ. The molecular composition of these products, however, greatly differs as shown by normal-phase HPLC-mass spectrometry analysis; thus, experimental data obtained by one of them is not necessarily true for the other. Avemar is a nontoxic wheat germ extract registered as a special nutriment for cancer patients in Hungary. It shows potent anticancer activity on cell lines by deeply interfering with glucose metabolism and affecting expressions of several kinases.

This review will discuss some issues related to the risk/benefit profile of the use of dietary antioxidants. Thus, recent progress regarding the potential benefit of dietary antioxidants in the treatment of chronic diseases with a special focus on immune system and neurodegenerative disorders will be discussed here. It is well established that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in the etiology of numerous diseases, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and cancer.

Natural products are being used as supplements by cancer patients, with or without the knowledge of their cancer treatment team. It is important to know which of these products show efficacy against diseases such as cancer, and which are ineffective. It is also essential to define the mechanism(s) of action of natural products, especially as relevant to cancer prevention or treatment. The purpose of this article is to review the use of one such natural product, a fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar), in the treatment regimen of cancer patients.

"Avemar pulvis" is a powder consisting of an aqueous extract of fermented wheat germ, with the drying aids maltodextrin and silicon dioxide, standardized to contain approximately 200 microg/g of the natural constituent 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone. The results of toxicological and clinical studies of this product demonstrate its safety for its intended use as a dietary supplement ingredient in the United States.

Avemar, the product of industrial fermentation of wheat germ, possesses unique cancer-fighting characteristics. Taken orally, Avemar can inhibit metastatic tumor dissemination and proliferation during and after chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation. Benefits of Avemar treatment have been shown in various human cancers, in cultures of in vitro grown cancer cells, in the prevention of chemical carcinogenesis, and also in some autoimmune conditions. This document reviews the clinical and experimental results obtained with this extract so far.