Table 2 Bioactive food components (natural or synthetic compounds/vitamin derivatives) targeting mitochondria (ROS generation) and/or glycolysis that may act as sensitizer for chemoprevention and (neo-)adjuvant therapies in cancer treatment

Compounds (polyphenols*, isothiocyanates, terpen/carotinoid** vitamins, derivates, fatty acids)

OSCC [66, 84]/HNSCC

other

Apoptosis↑ (ROS↑ [18, 23], Caspasen↑)

Glykolysis↓ [17] (mTOR↓ [31, 85, 86], HIF-1↓ [83], enzymes↓)

PPP↓ [87] (e.g. TKTL1↓)

Successful [88],*** approach in prospective clinical trials

natural

synthetic

OSCC [66, 84]/HNSCC

other

OSCC [66, 84]/HNSCC

Other

Curcumin* (turmeric) [83, 85, 88–102]

X

-

Yes [92–95, 101]

Yes

Yes [96] (ROS↑) [93]

Yes (mTOR↓ [85, 94, 102]; HIF-1↓ [83, 100])

n.d.

Yes [92–94, 101]

Yes

Yes (phase I) [95, 97]

Yes (phase II)

Resveratrol* (grapes) [85, 103–114]

X

-

Yes [104]

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [107])

Yes [109] (mTOR↓ [85, 103, 110, 111]; HIF-1↓ [109])

n.d.

Yes [107, 112]

Yes

n.d.

Yes

EGCG* (green tea) [66, 84, 85, 88, 104, 115–119]

X

-

Yes [66, 104, 117]

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [117])

Yes (mTOR↓ [85]; HIF-1↓ [118, 119])

n.d.

Yes [66, 104, 116]

Yes

Yes (phase II) [66, 84, 115]

Yes (phase II)

Ellagic acid*, (Pro-) Anthocyanins* (berrys) [66, 84, 120–127]

X

-

Yes [66, 84]

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [122–124])

Yes (mTOR↓ [124, 125]; HIF-1↓ [126])

n.d.

Yes [66, 84, 120, 121, 127]

Yes

Yes (phase II) [66, 84]

Yes

Genistein* (soyabeans) [85, 88, 128–133]

X

-

Yes [128, 129]

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [130])

Yes (mTOR↓ [85, 131]; HIF-1↓ [132, 133])

n.d.

Yes [128, 129]

Yes

n.d.

Yes (phase II)

Apigenin* (parsley) [134–141]

X

-

Yes [134–137]

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [135])

Yes (mTOR↓ [138]; HIF-1↓ [139, 140])

n.d.

Yes [134–136]

Yes

n.d.

Yes

No [137]

Quercetin* (fruits/vegetables) [141–150]

X

-

Yes [142–144, 149, 150]

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [144, 145])

Yes (mTOR↓ [146, 147]; HIF-1↓ [147, 148])

n.d.

Yes [142–144, 149]

Yes

Yes [150]

Yes

ITC, glucosinolates (cruciferous vegetables) [85, 151–157]

X

-

Yes [152–154, 157]

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [155])

Yes (mTOR↓ [85, 151]; HIF-1↓ [157])

n.d.

Yes [152–154, 157]

Yes

n.d.

Yes (phase I)

Lycopene** (tomato) [83, 158–169]

X

Yes [158, 163, 164]

Yes

Yes (ROS↑↓) [160–162]

Yes (mTOR↓ [167–169]; HIF-1↓ [83])

n.d.

Yes [158, 163, 164]

Yes [163]

n.d. [163]

Yes (phase II)

Vit. A** (retinoids) [101, 170–175]

X

-

Yes [101, 170, 171, 174, 175]

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [172])

Yes (mTOR↓ [173]; HIF-1 n.d.)

n.d.

Yes [101]

Yes

Yes [174, 175]; No (phase III) [170, 171]

Yes

Vit. D [176–181]

X

X [179]

Yes [177, 178]

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [181])

Yes (mTOR↓ [179]; HIF-1↓ [180])

n.d.

Yes [177, 178]

Yes

n.d.

Yes

Vit. E (γ-T3) [83, 176, 182–185]

X

-

n.d.

Yes

Yes, (ROS↑ [183])

Yes (mTOR↓ [184]; HIF-1↓ [182, 185])

n.d.

n.d.

Yes

n.d.

n.d.

Vit. C + K [83, 186–194]

X

X

Yes [186]

Yes

Yes (ROS↑ [191])

Yes (mTOR↓ [192]; HIF-1↓ [83, 187, 193])

n.d.

Yes [186]

Yes

n.d.

Yes (Phase I/II)

Oxybenfotiamine [195]

-

X

n.d.

Yes

Yes

n.d.

Yes

n.d.

n.d.

n.d.

n.d.

Benzoquinone (wheat germ extract) [196–198]

X

-

Yes [197]

Yes

Yes (Caspasen↑ [197], ROS n.d.)

Yes [198] (mTOR n.d.; HIF-1 n.d.)

Yes [197, 198]

n.d.

Yes

Yes (Phase II/III) [197]

Yes (Phase II/III)

PUFAs (n-3/n-6 family) [199–203]

X

-

Yes [200, 201]

Yes

Yes (ROS↑ [202])

Yes [199] (mTOR↓ [202]; HIF-1↓ [199, 203])

n.d.

Yes [200]

Yes

Yes (Phase II) [201]

Yes (Phase II)