Cancer Curing Possibilities in the Acai Berry

The fight against cancer is a big one and some will say every little bit counts, maybe a little berry will pack a punch in the battle. The Acai Berry is a small dark purple fruit similar in size to a blueberry, it grows in bunches like grapes at the top of tall palm trees found prevalently in northern Brazil. The berry is the topic of several news segments and has become one of the new superfoods on the list of hot food items for a healthy lifestyle. The fruit has only a small amount of pulp with a seed making up the majority of the berry’s size. It is the small amount of pulp and the skin that is used to make the many Acai based products on the North American market today.

During the past couple of years two studies have been published showing results that could be viewed by some as small insights or by others as perhaps encourage information in the fight against cancer. In 2006, Dr Steve Talcott and others from the University of Florida investigated the effect of Acai Berry’s antioxidant content on cultured human cancer cells, more specifically leukemia cells. The research, published by the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, showed very promising results with Acai extracts triggering a self destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested. However, as this study was based on a cell-culture model they were quick to caution the study did not prove that compounds found in Acai berries could prevent leukemia in people. Nonetheless the results were optimistic and indicated that further research could likely indicate a similar beneficial effect in the body.

There are skeptics that may consider the evidence to date of trivial consequence. But to those who may be looking for alternatives or complimentary measures to current cancer treatment it is one more sign of possibility in their fight against an illness that in 2007 claimed the lives of over half a million men and women in the US alone, 8% of this figure to leukemia.

Since Talcott’s initial study of 2006 was performed a second follow up study also lead by Talcott, now an Assistant Professor at Texas A & M University, and a team of colleagues has been completed, it was the first ever human consumption trial of Acai juice and Acai pulp. While the earlier published study indicated that the antioxidant content in the Acai Berry was related to the destruction of cultured human cancer cells, this second study looked at the ability of the human body to absorb the antioxidant properties of the Acai Berry when consumed. The publication date for the more recent Acai study has not yet been released but a preview of the abstract on the Texas A&M University website certainly provides a look at a possible outcome.

The study was conducted using twelve healthy volunteers in which Acai berry pulp and clarified Acai juice was compared to a non-antioxidant drink and applesauce controls. The antioxidant capacity in plasma and urine was repeatedly sampled over 12 hours and 24 hours post consumption respectively as an indicator of absorption. Results showed plasma antioxidant capacity was significantly increased by Acai pulp. Individual increases in plasma antioxidant capacity were also found for both Acai juice and Acai pulp. These results demonstrated the ability of the human body to absorb the antioxidant properties of Acai when consumed.

It seems each day presents more data proclaiming the benefits of this rising star of a berry, it may not only bring goodness to the well-being of the general consumer but also hope to those counting on its now evidenced cancer destroying properties.

Gabrielle Martineau