Research Progress of Intestinal Carcinogenic Mechanisms of Heme in Red Meat and Its Mitigation Measures

Heme is a combination of ferrous iron with a heterocyclic macrocycle organic compound,porphyrin,and it has a large hydrophobic tetrapyrrole ring with two propionicacid side chains perpendicular to the porphyrin ring. It was found that heme in red meat and its products is the main inducer of colorectal cancer. Thus this paper reviewed the possible pathogenesis of heme inducing colorectal cancer after intaking,including that it could induce cytotoxicity,catalyze lipid peroxidation and the formation of the nitroso compounds,even it could lead to intestinal dysbiosis. Following up,this paper puts forward some mitigation measures to reduce the carcinogenic effect of heme,such as moderate intake of calcium,chlorophyll,nitrite substituents,antioxidants,prebiotics and so on which could alleviate the carcinogenic effect of heme.