Acai and Cancer

Does the acai berry cure cancer?

Acai and cancer have long been linked together. The research into whether acai berry can cure cancer had been an ongoing one.
Although in lab tests showed the acai berry kills cancer cells, more research will be needed before any breaking news about how acai berry cures cancer are publicized worldwide.

Recent Acai Berry Research and Cancer

In a recent study of acai and cancer the University of Florida was one of the first to in to investigate the fruit’s purported benefits.

Published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the acai and cancer focused study showed extracts from acai (ah-sigh-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” Talcott said. “This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries.”

He cautioned that the acai and cancer study, funded by UF sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.

“This was only a cell-culture model and we don’t want to give anyone false hope,” Talcott said. “We are encouraged by the findings, however. Compounds that show good activity against cancer cells in a model system are most likely to have beneficial effects in our bodies.”

The acai and cancer study showed the berries have an exceptionally high level of polyphenolics, better known as anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants have demonstrated health benefits and may help prevent serious diseases like Alzheimer’s, coronary heart disease and certain types of cancer. The red pigments that give the fruit its dark purple color also give it one of the highest levels of anti-oxidants of any fruit on the planet.

A human research trial with acai is already under way. And researchers hope to show that drinking a single serving of acai juice can have beneficial effects on controlling bad cholesterol, reducing inflammation and possibly helping to reduce the signs of ageing. But they admit the anti-oxidant level in acai juice is significantly lower than the levels found in the whole berries. The berries grow only one place in the world, on palm trees in the Amazon River Basin and are harvested whole. But because of a hard inner seed, only the outer most layers of the berry are eatable. The berries are crushed and then mixed with water to create a thick fruit pulp. Although the water dilutes the antioxidants, their levels are still equivalent with those found in other foods such as blueberries, pomegranate, and red wine.  The pulp is then shipped around the world to be sold as a finished product or in other forms.
 
“One reason so little is known about acai berries is that they’re perishable and are traditionally used immediately after picking,” Talcott said. “Products made with processed acai berries have only been available for about five years, so researchers in many parts of the world have had little or no opportunity to study them.”

Talcott said UF is one of the first institutions outside Brazil with personnel studying acai and cancer. Besides Talcott, UF’s acai research team includes Susan Percival, a professor with the food science and human nutrition department, David Del Pozo-Insfran, a doctoral student with the department and Susanne Mertens-Talcott, a postdoctoral associate with the pharmaceutics department of UF’s College of Pharmacy.

Historically, Brazilians have used acai berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, he said. Current marketing efforts by retail merchants and Internet businesses suggest acai products can help consumers lose weight, lower cholesterol and gain energy.

“A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven’t been tested scientifically,” Talcott said. “We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects.”

In the current UF study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.

With regards to cancer and the acai, four of the extracts from the berry were shown to kill significant numbers of leukemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.

Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer,” said Bomser, who researches the effects of diet on chronic diseases. “Getting at least five servings a day of these items is still a good recommendation for promoting optimal health.

Other fruits, including grapes, guavas and mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies, he said. Experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants chemical activity.

To hear from Dr Lou Niles latest report on the acai and cancer.  Click the link below:

Acai and Cancer - Watch Dr Lou Niles presentation.

References:

Schauss AG. Acai (Euterpe oleracea): An Extraordinary Antioxidant-Rich Palm Fruit. Biosocial Publications: Tacoma, 2006.

Schauss AG, Wu, X, Prior RL, Ou B, Patel D, Huang D and Kababick JP. Phytochemical and nutrient composition of the freeze-dried Amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. (Acai). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2006: 54(22); 8598-8603.

Schauss AG, Wu X, Prior RL, Ou B, Huang D, Owens J, Agarwal A, Jensen GS, Hart AN and Shanbrom E. Antioxidant capacity and other bioactivities of the freeze-dried Amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. (Acai). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2006: 54(22); 8604-8610.

Schauss AG. Acai (Euterpe oleracea): An Extraordinary Antioxidant-Rich Palm Fruit, Second Edition. Biosocial Publications: Tacoma, 2006.

Schauss AG, Ou B, Wu X. High radical oxygen scavenging (ROS) and antioxidant activity in freeze-dried Euterpe oleracea (OptiAcai) palm fruit pulp. [abstract] FASEB J, 2006; 20(4): A145.

Bank, G. and Schauss, AG. Antioxidant testing: an ORAC update. Nutraceuticals World, 2004, 7(3): 68-71.