Tampa, FL—Fermented wheat germ extract, known in the immune health category, has given researchers reason to study its other potential benefits.

In a trial done on ovarian cancer cell lines and how they interact with fermented wheat germ extract (as Avemar from American Biosciences), scientists from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute found that the fermented wheat germ extract offers anticancer properties.

A molecule found in chemotherapeutics, 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone, was found to have 13 pathways in common with the fermented wheat germ extract. This may provide for further insight into the effects of fermented wheat germ extract on human cancer cells.In addition, the researchers found “2142 genes representing 27 biologic pathways (P < 0.05) to be significantly associated with fermented wheat germ extract sensitivity.”

The data are published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer.

To date, fermented wheat germ extract cannot be billed as a possible cure or treatment of cancer. Nonetheless, further research is warranted to find more definitive results from fermented wheat germ extract.