The hazelnut extract, some neolignans, cedrusin (2) and balanophonin (3) and gallic acid (8) are able to inhibit the growth of human cancer cells (primary melanoma, A375, metastatic melanoma, SK-Mel-28, and cervical cancer, HeLa) inducing apoptosis mediated by caspase-3 activation and PARP-1 cleavage. Here, PARP1 is linked to cancer.