http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3752806.stm
Apples may ward off colon cancer
An apple a day may help to keep bowel cancer at bay, say researchers.
The key could be chemicals in the fruit called procyanidins, a team
from the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research
believe.
These chemicals were shown to significantly reduce the number of
precancerous lesions in lab animals.
The research, which could lead to new cancer treatments, was
presented at a meeting of the American Association for Cancer
Research.
Parallel research suggests the chemicals - one of a class of
compounds called polyphenols - work by altering signalling pathways
that control the process by which cells commit suicide at the end of
their natural life.
This process goes awry in cancer cells, leading to uncontrolling
division, and the formation of tumours.
Lead researcher Dr Francis Raul said: "These studies not only offer
insights into the mechanisms of the chemopreventive properties of
these polyphenols, they also offer proof of their potential to
prevent colon cancer."
Polyphenols of various types are concentrated in the skin of apples.
They are antioxidants, preventing molecules called free radicals from
inflicting damage on the body's tissue.
Different diets
The French researchers split the polyphenols found in apples into
two general categories, and exposed cancer cells to each.
The first class of monomer polyphenols, which included the
flavonoids, failed to have any significant effect at concentrations
ranging from 10 to 100 micrograms per millilitre.
But the second class, featuring the procyanidins, triggered signals
that lead to cell suicide, thus thwarting the growth and spread of
cancer.
Next, the researchers fed rats who had been injected with a
substance known to trigger colon cancer a liquid containing
apple-derived procyanidins.
After about six weeks on this diet, these rats were found to have
about half the number of precancerous lesions in their colons as
counterparts on a regular diet.
Dr Raul said the results might eventually lead to new treatments to
combat tumour growth.
He said: "For now, our work suggests that eating the whole apple,
including the skin, might offer some anti-cancer benefits.
"That is certainly something we can comfortably do without further study."
Another study by American researchers presented at the meeting
investigated the effect of eating vegetables on non-Hodgkin lymphoma
(NHL), a type of lymph cancer.
They found that people who consume three or more servings of
vegetables per day - not including potatoes - are 40% less at risk of
developing the disease than people who eat less than one serving a
day.
Healthy diet
Sara Hiom, of Cancer Research UK, said apple skins were are also
high in fibre, and independent research has shown that increased
fibre intake can independently reduce the incidence of bowel cancers.
She said: "As yet there is no solid evidence to confirm any single
fruit or vegetable type as having 'cancer preventive' properties for
humans.
"We continue to promote increasing intake of a wide variety of
fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet."
Jola Gore-Booth, chief executive of the charity Colon Cancer
Concern, said: "People whose diets are low in fibre, fruit and
vegetables and who do not exercise regularly, appear to be at an
increased risk of developing bowel cancer."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/3752806.stm
Published: 2004/10/19 01:10:37 GMT
?? BBC MMIV
This is interesting in view of the fact that apricot pits are supposed to cure cancer or something like that, and contain cyanide (I think). They can be freely purchased in Denmark.
Carol
(Found out last week that shark cartilage that gives an enormous boost to the immune system is sold in health shops and is not so expensive as I had imagined. It is eaten by cancer patients of course.)
> This is interesting in view of the fact that apricot pits are
> supposed to cure cancer or something like that, and contain cyanide
> (I think). They can be freely purchased in Denmark.
Yeah, though I remember reading about a man who liked the nutty taste
and stored up a bunch of them. He died of poisoning, because they're
high in - I think it is - cyanide.
JT Thompson wrote:
More accurate, I think, to say that they /may/ have cyanide in. I think
they contain some "precursor" which /can/ convert to cyanide. Certainly
the amount in just a few pits would be of no consequence.
You can actually smell it - cyanide has a characteristic smell (of
almonds, oddly enough! - surprise! surprise!!)
Tony
--
Tony & Moira Ryan,
Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ. Pictures of our garden at:-
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
NEW PICTURES ADDED 4/Feb/2004
> They DO taste very good!
Beautiful but deadly.
They DO taste very good!
Carol
