Acai berry is the latest discovery revolutionizing oncology. Originally discovered by the locals of brazil, the Acai berry was popular in native medicine.
The natives swore on its healing properties and improving immune status. Something new is added everyday to the list of nutritional and health benefits obtained from the Acai berry.
Science's latest amazement – the Acai berry: When science intervened to authenticate the locals' verdict, they discovered more than just a local delicacy. Science brought into light the modern elixir. Acai berry seemingly has many medicinal and dietary benefits owing to its chemical composition. Apart from the vitamins and amino acids content, the acai berry also contains a high amount of flavonoids and EFA (Essential Fatty Acids). On a comparative note, the quantity of flavonoids is higher than that of red wine or other known fruit.
Cancer and Anti-Oxidants
Cancer is the uncontrolled proliferation of cells. It can be caused by a number of factors like age, diet, exercise, occupation, genetic predisposition, spontaneous and induced mutations etc.
Free radical release is also said to be one of the reasons for cancer. Free radicals are unstable cellular molecules that attack other stable molecules to borrow ions to stabilize themselves. But in this process they leave behind other unstable molecules. This proceeds as a chain reaction producing a high population of free radicals that attack other components of the cells. Thus the normal metabolism of the cell is affected. Furthermore, damage to various cells organelles results in altered behaviour of cell and cancer. This is also known as free radical damage.
Apoptosis is a highly regulated method of cell suicide, usually triggered in cells that hav been severely damaged. But cancer cells do not undergo apoptosis which explains their immortality.
Anti oxidants are those chemicals or molecules that interrupt this destructive cascade. Anti oxidants prevent such oxidation reactions by scavenging such free radicals. Hence damage by free radicals is minimized.
Acai berry and Anti oxidants
Some of the well known anti-oxidants are;
- Vitamin A,
- Vitamin C,
- Vitamin E,
- Flavonoids,
- Carotenoids,
- Selenium etc.
These are found in various plant sources that were recommended by many to have anticancer or rather antioxidant properties.
Some of the sources includ ;
- green tea,
- carrots,
- tomato,
- citrus fruits like grapes, oranges, berries,
- red wine etc.
Acai berry is found to have many of these anti oxidant chemicals and hence suspected to be potential source for minimizing cancer risk.
Studies were conducted on the Acai berry at various research institutes. The University of Florida was one of the first to research on the anticancer activities of the Acai berry. The results were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
According to their study, Acai berry extracts induced the death of leukemia cells cultured invitro (In a flask/ lab). The Acai berry pulp was taken as six different chemical extracts. Each extract was taken in seven different concentrations.
Each of the seven concentrations of the six extracts were tested against the leukemia cells. Four extracts had the potential to induce cells death by apoptosis in cancer cells. The extracts had reduced the viable (live) cell count to a significant measure i.e. about 35% to 85% of cells died. The difference in the percentage of dead cells is due to the differences in extract composition and concentration.
Though this discovery provides a hope for the thousands who suffer and millions who are susceptible to cancer, the researchers at the University of Florida say there is yet to be studied to reveal the complexity of the Acai berry. Until then, the Acai berry is still one of the best dietary supplements recommended.
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