ULM researchers discover fresh tobacco leaves can fight cancer

(thenewsstar.com) Researchers at the University of Louisiana at Monroe have discovered anticancer compounds in the most unlikely of places — tobacco leaves.
Khalid El Sayed, an associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the ULM College of Pharmacy, and ULM colleagues Paul Sylvester and Girish Shah received a patent for their discovery of anti-cancer compounds in fresh tobacco leaves earlier this week from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
“The leaf and flower of the tobacco plant contain high amounts of the key flavor ingredient called cembranoids, which shows promise as an anti-cancer agent,” El Sayed said. Continued