Anti-Angiogenesis Activities of Dietary Constituents and Health Foods with Potential Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Activity

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is typically a hypervascular tumor with a high mortality rate, and angiogenesis is considered key to its occurrence and progression. Intrinsic angiogenic growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor and fibroblast growth factor are involved in HCC progression, but anti-angiogenesis treatments have so far had only limited clinical efficacy. Recently, coffee intake has been reported to be associated with decreased HCC incidence. Here, we review the anti-angiogenesis activities of dietary constituents and health foods that have been suggested to be effective against HCC in humans, in animal models or in vitro. We also cover recent patents issued for antiangiogenic agents, including dietary constituents and health foods.