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• Modified Citrus Pectin

Modified Citrus Pectin

Treatment
Access
Cautions
Integrative
Plans
Dosing
More
Information

Pectin is a soluble plants fiber found in highest concentrations in apples and the peel and pulp of citrus fruits. Modified citrus pectin (MCP) is an altered form of citrus peel pectin that is reportedly more absorbable in the body. As a result, natural citrus pectin may not have the same effects on cancer as modified citrus pectin.¹

Treatment: Impacts and Evidence

In lab, animal and preliminary human studies, MCP has shown anticancer effects in these cancers:

• Breast cancer
• Colon cancer
• Lung cancer
• Melanoma
• Prostate cancer

Clinical Evidence

MCP significantly increased prostate specific antigen doubling time in patients with recurrent prostate cancer in a small study.²

Lab and Animal Evidence

Read more

Cautions

Modified citrus pectin is “generally regarded as safe” in the US. However, MCP can cause mild side effects as well as some potentially serious interactions with drugs and supplements, including digoxin, lovastatin and tetracycline. MCP may also slow or reduce absorption of some oral drugs.⁷  Consult with your pharmacist for interactions, and discuss using MCP with your doctor.

Access

Pectin is found in common food sources, and modified citrus pectin is widely available in supplement form.

Dosing

Although clinical trials have not established an optimal modified citrus pectin dose during or post cancer treatment, suggested dosages are listed in the integrative cancer care protocols, plans and references below. Levels of active ingredients of natural products can vary widely between and even within products. See Quality and Sources of Herbs, Supplements and Other Natural Products.

More information about dosing pectin is available from these sources:

• Moss R. Moss Report on Prostate Cancer. Modified Citrus Pectin.
• Natural Medicines Database (requires purchase)
• Also see the protocols below.

Integrative Plans, Protocols and Medical Systems

• Plans, protocols and programs
• Alschuler & Gazella complementary approaches⁸
• Melanoma
• Prostate cancer
• Block program⁹
  • Tips for diarrhea
  • Reduce platelet aggregation (reducing risk for clots)
• Chang strategies¹⁰
• McKinney protocols¹¹
  • General cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Head and neck cancer
  • Lung cancer
  • Myelodysplastic syndrome
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Prostate cancer
  • Sarcoma
  • Skin cancer

Written by Laura Pole, RN, MSN, OCNS, and reviewed by Nancy Hepp, MS; most recent update January 14, 2019. Note: BCCT has not conducted an independent review of research of modified citrus pectin. This summary draws primarily from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center About Herbs and Anticancer Fund website.

1. TRC Natural Medicines. Pectin. February 16, 2015. Viewed December 5, 2017.
2. Guess BW, Scholz MC et al. Modified citrus pectin (MCP) increases the prostate-specific antigen doubling time in men with prostate cancer: a phase II pilot study. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases. 2003;6(4):301-4.
3. Glinsky VV, Raz A. Modified citrus pectin anti-metastatic properties: one bullet, multiple targets. Carbohydrate Research. 2009 Sep 28;344(14):1788-91.
4. Leclere L, Fransolet M et al. Heat-modified citrus pectin induces apoptosis-like cell death and autophagy in HepG2 and A549 cancer cells. PLoS One. 2015 Mar 20;10(3):e0115831.
5. Glinsky VV, Raz A. Modified citrus pectin anti-metastatic properties: one bullet, multiple targets. Carbohydrate Research. 2009 Sep 28;344(14):1788-91.
6. Ramachandran C, Wilk B et al. Activation of human T-helper/inducer cell, T-cytotoxic cell, B-cell, and natural killer (NK)-cells and induction of natural killer cell activity against K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cells with modified citrus pectin. JBMC Complement Altern Med. 2011 Aug 4;11:59.
7. TRC Natural Medicines. Pectin. February 16, 2015. Viewed December 5, 2017; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. About Herbs: Pectin. July 31, 2013. Viewed December 5, 2017.
8. Alschuler LN, Gazella KA. The Definitive Guide to Cancer, 3rd Edition: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing. Berkeley, California: Celestial Arts. 2010; Alschuler LN, Gazella KA. The Definitive Guide to Thriving after Cancer. Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. 2013.
9. Block KI. Life over Cancer: The Block Center Program for Integrative Cancer Treatment. New York: Bantam Dell. 2009.
10. Chang R. Beyond the Magic Bullet: The Anti-Cancer Cocktail. New York: Square One Publishers. 2012.
11. McKinney N. Naturopathic Oncology, 3rd Edition. Victoria, BC, Canada: Liaison Press. 2016.

View All References

More Information

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. About Herbs: Pectin.
• TRC Natural Medicines. Pectin (subscription is required): in-depth information, ratings of effectiveness and safety and evaluation of specific pectin products
• Consumer Labs: Product Review (subscription required): Modified citrus pectin
• Moss Reports (purchase required): Select from the list of cancers down the left side of the page for a report describing uses of conventional, complementary, alternative and integrative therapies related to that cancer. Ralph Moss is among the most knowledgeable and balanced researchers of integrative cancer therapies. The cost of his Moss Reports is not negligible, but many patients find them of considerable value. Moss is also available for consultations.
• National Cancer Institute: Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Health Professionals
• National Cancer Institute: Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Cancer Research UK
• Lise Alschuler, ND, FABNO, and Karolyn Gazella: The Definitive Guide to Cancer, 3rd Edition: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing
• Neil McKinney, BSc, ND: Naturopathic Oncology, 3rd Edition
• Raymond Chang, MD: Beyond the Magic Bullet: The Anti-Cancer Cocktail
• National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health: PDQ® Cancer Information Summaries
• Dwight McKee, MD, editor: Clinical Pearls