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Abstract

Inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), also known as myo-inositol hexaphosphate and phytic acid, is a naturally occurring compound first identified in 1855. IP6 is found in substantial amounts in whole grains, cereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and is the primary energy source for the germinating plant.1,2 IP6 and its lower phosphorylated forms are also found in most mammalian cells, where they assist in regulating a variety of important cellular functions.2 IP6 functions as an antioxidant by chelating divalent cations such as copper and iron, preventing the generation of reactive oxygen species responsible for cell injury and carcinogenesis.3 Recently, both in vivo and in vitro studies utilizing IP6 have revealed a significant anticancer activity with a variety of tumor types, possibly via inhibition of tumor cell growth and differentiation.4 In vitro studies with colon, liver, and rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines, and animal models of mammary, colon, intestinal, and liver cancer, as well as rhabdomyosarcoma, have all demonstrated IP6’s anticancer properties. Currently, human clinical trials in cancer are lacking. Other properties of IP6 include an anti-platelet aggregating and lipid-lowering effect, suggesting a potential role in cardiovascular disease; inhibition of HIV-1 virus replication; modulation of insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells; and inhibition of urinary calcium oxalate crystallization, thereby preventing renal stone development.

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