The Benefits of Red Raspberries-Interesting Article

[Guest guest]

Berry Good Health

By Susan Thorpe-Vargas Ph.D.

 

Multiple studies have discovered that phytonutrients found in

raspberries can protect us from cancer and can even shrink some types

of cancer tumors. These substances can also act as an antibacterial

and as an antiviral agent. Does this sound too good to be true? One

particular substance found in this natural " medicine chest " ,

is a

series of compounds called ellagitannins. The highest levels are

found in raspberries, but the ellagitannins are also in certain types

of grapes, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and some nuts

too. Recent work (2001), published by Dr. Gary Stoner at Ohio State

University, showed that components in the seeds and berry, but

particularly ellagitannins, inhibited the initiation and

promotion/progression stages of esophageal cancer. This is an

extremely important finding, considering the potential benefits.

 

We do not as yet know all of the functions of the ellagitannins in

terms of cancer. A study at Hollings Cancer Center, Medical

University of South Carolina has shown one of the ways they work is

to " turn on " a normal cellular process called apoptosis. Apoptosis

is " science speak " for something called programmed cell death. This

natural cell death is just one of several ways our body protects us

from cancer. As we age, cellular replication mistakes can occur.

Cancer cells somehow become immune to the signals that cause cells to

self-destruct, so they become virtually immortal and reproduce

indefinitely.

 

The disease with a thousand faces

 

Cancer is not just one disease but is the general name for more than

200 different types of malignancies. Cancers are classified by the

tissue type from which they arise:

· osteosarcoma-bone cancer

· melanoma-skin cancer

· lymphoma-cancer of lymph nodes

· leukemia – blood cancer

 

Every cellular type has its own form of cancer. The one thing all

cancers share in common is uncontrolled growth. Cancer occurs when

cells lose control over critical checkpoints during the process of

one cell splitting and becoming two cells. This control over

cellular replication is in the hands of several specific types of

genes.

 

Two classes of genes are suspected of being associated with the

occurrence of cancer. A mutation in a tumor suppressor gene is like

having faulty brakes in your car. Just as their name implies, tumor

suppressor genes function by making sure there are no mistakes in the

genes that are replicated prior to one cell becoming two. In

this " quality control " process, if errors are detected, the cell is

instructed not to divide. Thus, tumor suppressor genes put the

brakes on cellular division. The other class of genes thought to be

involved with preventing cancer is called proto-oncogenes.

Researchers have found that these genes " code " for proteins involved

in mechanisms that regulate the social behavior of cells. Signals

from those cells in the immediate environment induce their neighbors

to divide, differentiate and even undergo apoptosis. So, this type

of gene is involved in promoting the normal growth and division of

cells and could be likened to your car's accelerator. A change in

the genetic message - a mutation, can turn the proto-oncogene into an

oncogene and cause your accelerator to become stuck, thus

initiating " runaway " cellular replication. Nevertheless, there seem

to be no pattern to these mutations. What is so frustrating for both

researchers and clinicians alike is that different combinations of

mutations are found in different types of cancer and even in cancers

of supposedly the same type in different patients. What is most

important to remember is that cancer begins as a single abnormal cell

that begins to multiply out of control.

 

So, what causes most mutations?

 

We live in a polluted environment. For instance, the outgassing from

asphalt on a hot summer day produces the deadly carcinogen benzo{a}

pyrene, the same chemical found on meat that has been charcoal

broiled. This is just but one example. Exposure to such chemicals

in the environment can cause the mutations in our genetic material

that lead to cancer. Even normal metabolic processes like breathing

and exercise produce free radicals that can wreak havoc on our

cellular DNA. We can protect ourselves from mutations caused by

environmental toxins and free radicals by taking antioxidants. Guess

what? Ellagitannins are also very good antioxidants and

chemoprotective agents. Researchers at Wayne State University have a

theory about how ellagitannins might work. The liver produces enzymes

that rid the body of toxins. These enzymes break down or chemically

change toxic substances we ingest or inhale so that they can be

excreted. During this detox process, the breakdown products, called

metabolites, are frequently more damaging then the original

substance. It appears that ellagitannins are able to safeguard the

liver from damage caused by these breakdown products. Another theory

held by some investigators is that ellagitannins are able to protect

our genetic material from certain types of chemical reactions that

lead to misreading of damaged DNA.

 

Why does chemotherapy and radiation eventually stop working?

 

It is becoming clear that normal therapeutic cancer treatment works

by turning on apoptosis. We used to think that chemotherapy and

radiation killed rapidly dividing cells, which is why these

procedures were able to shrink tumors. However, at some point these

treatments begin to lose their effectiveness. Why is that? Scott

Lowe, a research scientist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory may have

found the answer. Instead of killing these cells, chemotherapy and

radiation damage their cellular DNA. This alerts the cell watchdogs

that control the cell cycle that something is wrong and tells the

cell to stop dividing or to commit suicide. Therefore, chemotherapy

and radiation act somewhat like a " vaccination " that works by helping

the body help itself. The evidence for Dr. Lowe's theory is pretty

convincing, because when these treatments start to fail, researchers

have found that the genes that control apoptosis are no longer

functioning.

 

Why don't ellagitannins induce normal cells to commit suicide?

 

As we know, cancer cells become immortal, this means that they are

able to replicate themselves after something called the Hayflick

limit has been reached. The Hayflick limit is the number of " allowed "

cellular replications. Each cell type has its own limit. Human cancer

studies show that mutations in the tumor suppressor gene called p53

account for many of the tumors found. One of the functions of this

gene is that it normally prevents cells with damaged DNA from

proceeding through the cell cycle. The presence of the protein

product encoded by p53 turns on the waf-1 gene. The waf-1 gene

produces a protein that normally inhibits the activity of several

similar cellular proteins called kinases. These proteins are involved

in stopping cell cycle progression. A mutation in either the p53 or

waf-1 gene can cause the loss of that " emergency brake " function and

allow uncontrolled growth. However, only " damaged " cells are induced

to commit suicide and so normal cells are not effected.

 

An Antibacterial and an Antiviral agent

 

Ellagitannins can act as antibacterial agents and as antiviral agents

too, and now we know how. Think of the genetic material of bacteria

as a rubber band that is all twisted up. In order to replicate, the

DNA must untwist itself through a process requiring the enzyme

gyrase. Ellagitannins inhibits gyrase activity so replication of the

bacterial DNA is restricted. Importantly, bacteria cannot easily

become resistant to this type of antibacterial action. Resistance to

antibiotics has become a real concern to the international medical

community. A federal government task force noted that antibiotic

resistance was " a growing menace to all people " but children, the

elderly and those with weakened immune systems are especially at risk.

Besides its antibacterial action, ellagitannins have antiviral

activity also. Viruses do not have the ability to replicate

themselves. Instead they must " hijack " the host cell and insert their

own DNA into the host cell genome. This requires an enzyme called

integrase and the ellagitannins inhibit this enzyme also.

 

Citizen: Heal Thyself. (With apologies to Mr. Hippocrates)

 

People are turning to alternative forms of medical treatment and

prevention. Not only is the medical delivery system failing but, our

costs for health services are rising at an astronomical rate. What

this means for the medical consumer is that we need to be more

responsible for our own health. We need to look at prevention instead

of always looking to health care providers to " fix " what exposure to

a toxic environment and/or years of unhealthy lifestyle practices

have wrought. The quality of medical care is uneven at best. Too

often, our insurance providers do not cover necessary tests and

procedures, especially those of a preventative nature. However, we

can become involved in our own health care. A diet rich in fresh

fruits and vegetables is a good start towards preventing disease.

Unfortunately, current tests show that our soil is severely lacking

in many minerals or electrolytes and other components that are

essential for proper nutrition. It is necessary to sometimes take

supplements as it may not be physically or economically possible to

eat enough food to get the proper nutrition. In addition, the cost of

fresh fruits and vegetables can be prohibitive. For instance, unless

you grow your own raspberries, the cost of the American Cancer

Institute's recommended daily bowl of the whole berries could run

as

high as $300 a month. Not only that, but research has shown that the

ellagitannin content is much higher in the seeds then in the fruit.

So nutraceutical supplements may be the answer. Raspberry seeds

contain many more times the ellagic acid than the fruit at one-tenth

the cost. It's your choice, whatever form you may decide to use-

the

take home message is: " Eat your ellagitannins! "

 

 

 

 

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