Cancer modulatory potential of oilseed lecithins as functional foods

Cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality, necessitating the development of innovative therapeutic and preventive strategies, including nutrition-based interventions. Among the emerging functional food ingredients, oilseed-derived lecithins, such as those from soybean and rapeseed, have gained significant attention due to their phospholipid composition and possible multifaceted biological functions. These lecithins are composed of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine, along with certain other minor bioactive constituents that collectively contribute to their functional and therapeutic potential. Recent evidence suggests that these phospholipid components can have a significant impact on important cellular processes like apoptosis induction and can also modulate pathways like PI3K/Akt, and NF-kB pathways. Further, lecithins are also capable of serving as natural emulsifiers and delivery systems, thereby enhancing the bioavailability of phytochemicals which possess established anti-cancer potential. This dual functionality position lecithins both as a bioactive dietary component and also as carriers in the design of cancer-oriented functional foods. Moreover, preclinical data suggest that certain lecithin phospholipid components are capable of inhibiting tumour progression, particularly in the case of colorectal and hepatic cancers. But these findings are preliminary and need further validation. This review discusses the sources and compositional diversity of oilseed-lecithin, while also highlighting the emerging alternative sources such as microalgae-derived lecithins with details on the phospholipid-mediated bioactivity of these compounds. Further, the review also highlights the emerging applications of oilseed lecithin as delivery agents in cancer-oriented functional foods, focusing on their formulation strategies, safety protocols and future prospects.