Exploring natural solutions can lead to groundbreaking discoveries, impacting cells at the molecular level. Human cells typically generate energy by oxidizing glucose to produce ATP. However, cancer cells utilize glycolysis to produce ATP, even in the presence of oxygen, converting glucose into pyruvic acid and lactic acid. This process, known as the Warburg effect, is considered inefficient, prompting researchers to investigate why cancer cells opt for this energy pathway.

Associate Professor Akiko Kojima-Yuasa's team at Osaka Metropolitan University's Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology delved into the cinnamic acid ester ethyl p-methoxycinnamate, a key component of kencur ginger, to understand its impact on cancer cells. Previous studies had shown that ethyl p-methoxycinnamate possesses inhibitory effects on cancer cells. Building on this, the researchers administered the acid ester to Ehrlich ascites tumor cells to determine its specific effects on the cells' energy pathway.

The findings indicated that the acid ester disrupts ATP production by targeting de novo fatty acid synthesis and lipid metabolism, rather than glycolysis as previously believed. Interestingly, the researchers observed that the inhibition caused by the acid ester led to an increase in glycolysis, which served as a potential survival mechanism for the cells. This adaptability was linked to the acid ester's inability to induce cell death.