Evidence mapPaperPMID 42280217Full record

ReviewMolecules (Basel, Switzerland)2026

From Berry to Bedside: Translational Potential of Berry-Derived Phytochemicals in HNSCC.

Kishan Kumar Nyati, Ravi Ramalingam, Suvekshya Shrestha, Sushmitha Jagadeesha, Sonali Dasari, Shaheer Masood, Massar Yade, Parth A Mehta, Shravya Kundety, Steve Oghumu

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Kishan Kumar NyatiDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.
Ravi RamalingamDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8255-5936
Suvekshya ShresthaDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.
Sushmitha JagadeeshaDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.
Sonali DasariDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.ORCID 0009-0002-1378-2075
Shaheer MasoodDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.ORCID 0009-0001-9848-5370
Massar YadeDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.
Parth A MehtaDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.
Shravya KundetyDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.
Steve OghumuDepartment of Pathology, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus 43201, OH, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5177-0652

Funding

NIH HHS 1R01DE033906-01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains an immunosuppressive and metabolically dysregulated malignancy, contributing to tumor progression and resistance to conventional therapies. Natural compounds offer a unique multi-target opportunity to address these challenges, with berry-derived phytochemicals emerging as particularly promising candidates. Preclinical evidence demonstrates that these compounds modulate dendritic cell activation, macrophage polarization, regulatory T cell function, and cytokine signaling, restoring immune balance while simultaneously regulating tumor metabolism and reducing chronic inflammation. Beyond these immunometabolic effects, berry-derived compounds influence glucocorticoid signaling at the endocrine-immune interface, alleviating additional immunosuppressive pressures within the tumor microenvironment. Early clinical studies support the feasibility of standardized berry-derived formulations as adjunctive agents. In patients with oral premalignant lesions and HNSCC, black-raspberry-based interventions including topical gels and oral troches, have demonstrated favorable safety profiles, measurable tissue uptake of bioactive phytochemicals, modulation of proliferation and inflammation-associated biomarkers (e.g., Ki-67, COX-2, and NF-κB), and partial histologic regression in a subset of lesions. Collectively, these pleiotropic actions highlight chemopreventive potential and provide a mechanistic rationale for combinatorial strategies with immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4. Opportunities for both local and systemic delivery may further enhance therapeutic efficacy. Integrating these natural compounds into precision chemoprevention and immunotherapy paradigms could inform rational drug discovery, biomarker-driven patient stratification, and combination therapy design. This review highlights the convergent immunologic, metabolic, and endocrine-targeted mechanisms of berry-derived phytochemicals in HNSCC and emphasizes their translational potential as integrative modulators of antitumor immunity.

Indexed as

FruitHead and Neck NeoplasmsPhytochemicalsSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckAnimalsHumansTranslational Research, BiomedicalTumor MicroenvironmentPhytochemicalsberries phytochemicalschemopreventionhead and neck squamous cell carcinomaimmune checkpoint inhibitorsimmunometabolismnatural compoundstumor microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID42280217
PMCPMC13258500

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.