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d-Limonene: a bioactive food component from citrus and evidence for a potential role in breast cancer prevention and treatment

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Oncology Reviews

Abstract

Although limited, observations from cell culture, animal, and epidemiological studies support the presence of anti-cancer properties in citrus peel and the primary bioactive food constituent, d-limonene. Early evidence from animal models suggests that when ingested, d-limonene exhibits a wide spectrum of biologic activity including chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive effects. In some of these early models, an analog of d-limonene, perillyl alcohol, demonstrated a more potent effect than d-limonene itself. Yet, when perillyl alcohol advanced to clinical trials, several trials were ended early due to dose-limiting toxicities. Alternatively, oral d-limonene administration in humans is well tolerated even at high doses supporting its investigation as a potential bioactive for cancer prevention. Though the exact mechanisms of action of d-limonene are unclear, immune modulation and anti-proliferative effects are commonly reported. Here, we review the pre-clinical evidence for d-limonene’s anti-cancer mechanisms, bioavailability, and safety, as well as the evidence for anti-cancer effects in humans, focusing on studies relevant to its use in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Arizona, 1177 E 4th St., Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA

    Jessica A. Miller & Cynthia A. Thomson

  2. Arizona Cancer Center, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Patricia A. Thompson, Iman A. Hakim & H.-H. Sherry Chow

  3. Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Iman A. Hakim

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Miller, J.A., Thompson, P.A., Hakim, I.A. et al. d-Limonene: a bioactive food component from citrus and evidence for a potential role in breast cancer prevention and treatment. Oncol Rev 5, 31–42 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12156-010-0066-8

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