Exploiting plant biodiversity to tackle colorectal cancer and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Italy is one of the richest European countries in terms of plant biodiversity with more than 7000 species recorded, some of which are endemic. In addition to its intrinsic ecological value, plant biodiversity may also represent a source of molecules with possible therapeutic applications. In this context, natural compounds derived from plants have shown promising results in the prevention and treatment of several diseases in vitro1,2. Amongst these conditions, colorectal cancer (CRC) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are of particular interest because of their growing incidence in the population. Therefore, we are focusing on the screening of numerous natural extracts derived from different species of the national flora to tackle these two diseases. In particular, concerning CRC, the aim is to identify compounds that are not toxic towards healthy colon cells but show anticancer properties when administered to different tumoral cell lines, and to characterize their mechanisms of action. Instead, regarding NAFLD, the purpose is to find extracts able to reduce lipids accumulation, thus restoring a healthy phenotype. So far, a few extracts with possible applications in the treatment of CRC have been selected.