Abstract

CHEMICAL-QUANTUM ANALYSIS OF BETA-CAROTENE AS ANTIOXIDANT FOR THE PREVENTION OF CANCER

Giovanna September Velez-Alvarez, Salvador Roman Sánchez-Santana, Leshly Itzel Portillo-Flores and Manuel González-Pérez*

ABSTRACT

Cancer is a cellular disease of multicellular organisms. It is due to the alteration of the regulatory mechanisms in the cellular division of a tissue or an organ, thus producing damage in the cellular DNA, which exceeds the immune system function. This investigation aimed to make a chemical-quantum analysis of beta-carotene (Bcarot) as an antioxidant to prevent cancer. We used the semiempirical method Parametric Method 3 (SE-PM3) in hyperchem software as the basis for all calculations. This method treats the molecule as a collection of valence electrons and atomic centers; each center consists of an atom and its inner electrons. Bcarot ranks 18th among Amino Acids' stabilities (AAs) in biological proteins and forms a protective layer for AAs against free radicals. On the other hand, Bcarot forms a coat that can block the over-expression of Glucose 6 phosphate (G6P) in cancer cells. The layer that covers G6F is likely to inhibit the growth of a cancerous tumor. We concluded that adequate consumption of foods high in Bcarot helps patients with their cancerous conditions, and in people who do not have the disease, high consumption of Bcarot helps prevent it.

Keywords: Cancer, Beta-carotene, Quantum chemistry, PM3, Glucose 6 phosphate.