《中英對照讀新聞》Beer ingredient may fight prostate cancer 啤酒成份可能對抗攝護腺癌

◎俞智敏

A main ingredient in beer may help prevent prostate cancer and enlargement,according to a new study. But researchers say don't rush out to stock the refrigerator because the ingredient is present in such small amounts that a person would have to drink more than 17 beers to benefit.

一項新研究顯示，啤酒的一種主要成份可能有助於防止攝護腺癌及攝護腺腫大。但研究人員表示，別急著把冰箱堆滿啤酒，因為啤酒裡的這種成份含量極微小，得喝超過17瓶啤酒才可能收到抗癌效果。

Oregon State University researchers say the compound xanthohumol, found in hops, inhibits a specific protein in the cells along the surface of the prostate gland.

奧勒岡州立大學研究人員表示，（啤酒原料）蛇麻草中的一種化合物黃腐酚，能抑制攝護腺表面細胞中的一種特定蛋白質。

The protein acts like a signal switch that turns on a variety of animal and human cancers, including prostate cancer.

這種蛋白質的作用類似訊號開關，可以啟動動物及人類身上的多種癌症發展，包括攝護腺癌在內。

Cancer typically results from uncontrolled cell reproduction and growth.Xanthohumol belongs to a group of plant compounds called flavonoids, which can trigger the programmed cell death that controls growth.

癌症通常是因細胞在不受控制情況下繁殖及生長所致。黃腐酚則屬於一種被稱為類黃酮素的植物化合物，這種化合物能啟動細胞凋亡，控制細胞生長。

Researchers say it is possible for drug companies to develop pills containing concentrated doses of the flavonoid found in the hops used to brew beer.Researchers could also work to increase the xanthohumol content of hops.

研究人員指出，用來釀造啤酒的蛇麻草中所含的這種類黃酮素，可由藥廠開發成高劑量藥丸。研究人員也能增加蛇麻草中的黃腐酚含量。

新聞辭典

stock：文中作動詞，指庫存、貯存，如︰We stock all types of fur coats.（我們提供各種皮衣。）stock也可作（不可數）名詞，指庫存品，存貨，如︰There is not much stock in the shop right now.（目前店裡存貨不多。）

hop：蛇麻草、啤酒花。

inhibit：約束、抑制，如︰This drug inhibits the growth of tumours.（這種藥能抑制腫瘤生長。）