The overall goal of my research is to study the relationship between interesting edible plant compounds and their influence on cell death and signaling. The strategies employed in the laboratory are to identify, characterize, transform, and enhance bioactive plant foods and extracts derived from natural health products (NHP) and plant food sources. Currently, we are characterizing the bioactive effects of dietary saponins from ginseng (ginsenosides) and soy (soyasaponins) in cellular in vitro models.
Potential research students such as Chemistry or FST honours students should possess a strong interest in both phytochemistry and life sciences.
PhD scholarships are available yearly and potential applicants should check the admission requirements of the department found at this address:
Zhang W.; Popovich D.G. Chemical and Biological Characterization of Oleanane Triterpenoids from Soy. Molecules 2009 (accepted)
Popovich, D. G.; Yeo, S. Y.; Zhang, W. Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) Root Extract Combinations Increase Hepatocarcinoma Cell (Hep-G2) Viability. Evid. Based. Complement Alternat. Med. 2009 PM:19617200.
Zhang, W.; Yeo, M. C.; Tang, F. Y.; Popovich, D. G. Bioactive responses of Hep-G2 cells to soyasaponin extracts differs with respect to extraction conditions. Food Chem Toxicol. 2009. PM:19520140
Zhang, W.; Teng, S. P.; Popovich, D. G. Generation of group B soyasaponins I and III by hydrolysis. J. Agric. Food Chem 2009, 57 (9), 3620-3625.
Wei Zhang and David G. Popovich. Effect of soyasapogenol A and soyasapogenol B concentrated extracts on Hep-G2 cell proliferation and apoptosis. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2008 Apr 23;56(8):2603-8.
Elisia I, Popovich DG, Hu C, Kitts DD.Evaluation of viability assays for anthocyanins in cultured cells.Phytochem Anal. 2008 Apr 25. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 18435529
Elisia, Ingrid; Hu, Chun; Popovich, David G.; Kitts, David D. Antioxidant assessment of an anthocyanin-enriched blackberry extract. Food Chemistry (2007), 101(3), 052-1058.
David D. Kitts, David G. Popovich and Chun Hu Characterizing the mechanism for ginsenoside-induced cytotoxicity in cultured leukemia (THP-1) cells. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology (2007) 85 (11):1173-1183
Popovich DG, Hu C, Durance TD, and Kitts DD. Retention of Ginsenosides in Dried Ginseng Root: Comparison of Drying Methods. J Food Sci 2005; 70(6):S355-358.
Popovich, DG, Kitts, DD. Mechanistic studies on protopanaxadiol, Rh2 and ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) extract induced cytotoxicity in intestinal Caco-2 cells, J. Biochem. Mol. Toxicol. 2004; 18(3):143-149.
Popovich, DG, Kitts. DD. Generation of ginsenosides Rg3 and Rh2 from North American ginseng. Phytochemistry. 2004; 65:337-44.
Popovich, DG, Kitts, DD. Ginsenosides 20(S)-protopanaxadiol and Rh2 reduce cell proliferation and increase sub-G1 cells in two cultured intestinal cell lines (Int-407 and Caco-2). Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 2004; 82:183-190.
Popovich DG, Kitts DD. Structure-function relationship exists for ginsenosides in reducing cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis in the human leukemia (THP-1) cell line. Arch.Biochem Biophys. 2002;406:1-8.
Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Popovich DG, Vidgen E, Mehling CC et. al. Effect of a very-high-fiber vegetable, fruit, and nut diet on serum lipids and colonic function Metabolism 2001; 50:4: 494-503.
Popovich DG, Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Tariq N, Dierenfeld ES, Carroll RW. Suggested macronutrient profile of the western lowland gorilla diet: implications for human health. Journal of Nutrition 1997;127: 2000-2005.
Jenkins, DJ, Popovich DG, Kendall CW, Rao AV, Wolever TMS, Tariq N, Thompson LU, Cunnane SC. Metabolic effects of non-absorbable carbohydrates. Scan J. Gastro 1997;32: 222:10-13.
Jenkins, DJ, Popovich DG, Kendall CW, Vidgen E, Tariq N, Ransom TPP, Wolever TMS, Vuksan V, Mehling CC, Boctor DL, Bolognesi C, Huang J, Patten R. Effect of a diet very high in vegetables, fruit and nuts on serum lipids. Metabolism 1997; 46:6: 1-4.
Popovich, DG, Kitts, DD. Anti-cancer activity of ginseng and soy saponins
In: Awad AB, and Bradford PG, editors. Nutrition and Cancer Prevention. Boca Raton Taylor and Francis, 2005 (in press)
Popovich, DG, Kitts, DD. Bioactive properties of ginseng and ginsenoside constituents, Recent Res. Devel. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 2003; 1:137-149.
Kitts DD, Popovich DG. Ginseng, In: Watson D, editor. Performance functional foods. New York: Woodhead Publishing LTD, 2003; 78-88.
Popovich DG, Dierenfeld ES, Gorilla Nutrition In: Ogden J, Wharton D, editors. Management of Gorillas in Captivity: Husbandry Manual, Gorilla Species Survival Plan. American Association of Zoos and Aquariums 1997; 138-146.
