A common sugar substitute used in drinks, yogurt and chewing gum could be used to fight the deadliest type of cancer.
In the study, researchers fermented the zero-calorie sweetener stevia and tested it against pancreatic cancer. It was found that it killed cancer cells but did not harm healthy cells.
Stevia is a natural alternative to sugar that is used to sweeten drinks and other foods.
A previous study has suggested that stevia leaf extract may have anti-cancer properties.
Researchers at Hiroshima University said that fermenting stevia with bacteria can change the structure of its extract and produce bioactive metabolites.
Study author Professor Masanori Sugiyama said that the fermentation process could enhance the medical effectiveness of natural plant extracts such as stevia.
The team of researchers tested this theory against pancreatic cancer cells.
Co-author Professor Narandalai Danshit Sudol said that pancreatic cancer is a very dangerous tumor of the digestive system and is very difficult to diagnose.
