studies have shown that Japanese Hedgeparsley may have a potential for combating cancer. A substance known as torilin can be extracted from the plant and has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of 5 alpha-reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to DHT. Torilin is a compound from the fruits of the plant and has been shown to inhibit the growth of blood vessels in tumor development from benign to malignant and thus has a toxic effect on tumors. It also has been found to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to androgen, which is being studied further in the treatment of prostate cancer and alopecia. References Apioideae