Tangeritin (TG)

Tangeritin is an O-polymethoxylated flavone that is found in tangerine and other citrus peels. Tangeritin strengthens the cell wall and acts as a plant's defensive mechanism against disease-causing pathogens. It has also been used as a marker compound to detect contamination in citrus juices. Tangeritin also shows enormous potential as an anti cancer agent. In in vitro studies, tangeritin appears to counteract some of the adaptations of cancer cells. Tangeritin induced apoptosis in leukemia cells while sparing normal cells. In a study on two human breast cancer cell lines and one colon cancer cell line, tangeritin blocked cell cycle progression at the G1 (growth) phase in all three cell lines, without inducing apoptosis in the tumor cell lines. Once tangeritin was removed from the tumor cells, their cell cycle progression returned to normal. Tangeritin also counteracts tumor suppression of gap junction intercellular signaling.