This guy was choppin' broccoli before choppin' broccoli was cool.
Posted on 09/12/2007 5:23:32 AM PDT by decimon
A compound extracted from tangerine peel can kill certain human cancer cells, research shows.
A team from Leicester School of Pharmacy found Salvestrol Q40 was turned into a toxic compound in cancer cells, destroying them.
Salvestrol Q40 is found at higher concentrations in tangerine peel, than in the flesh of the fruit.
The researchers suggest the modern trend to throw away peel may have contributed to a rise in some cancers.
It is very exciting to find a compound in food that can target cancers specifically Dr Hoon Tan
Lead researcher Dr Hoon Tan said his work was still at an early stage, but together with his colleagues he has formed a company to investigate further the potential to develop natural anti-cancer therapies.
He said: "It is very exciting to find a compound in food that can target cancers specifically."
Plant immune system
Salvestrol 40 is a type of phytoalexin - a chemical produced by plants to repel attackers, such as insects or fungi.
It is converted into a toxic compound by the P450 CYP1B1 enzyme, found in much higher levels in cancer cells.
As a result, the researchers found, it proved to be 20 times more toxic to cancer cells than their healthy equivalents.
Dr Tan said Salvestrol was found in other fruit and vegetables, such as the brassica family, which includes broccoli and brussels sprouts.
However, the compound tends to be produced at higher levels when infection levels among crops are high.
Therefore, the use of modern pesticides and fungicides, which have cut the risk of infections, have also led to a drop in Salvestrol levels in food.
Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK's science information manager, said: "Many naturally occurring substances have anticancer properties, but while this research shows that salvestrols have an effect on cells in the laboratory, there is no evidence that they have a similar effect in patients.
"Clinical trials would be needed to tell us if these substances could be developed into a cancer treatment."
GREAT! I have a TANGERINE TREE!.............
Shades of Laetrile?
So meantime, buy a juicer and organic tangerines?
I still have a basement full of peach pits.
Yes, but tangerine peels are easier to chew than apricot pits.
But without the arsenic. Old lace, maybe, but no arsenic.
This guy was choppin' broccoli before choppin' broccoli was cool.
Frankly, if given the choice between eating tangerine peelings and brocolli, I’ll take the brocolli...in a salad.
Didn’t Elizabeth Edwards come out in favor of banning tangerines recently? Maybe this will change her mind.
Actually she said she was giving up tangerines in favor of eating only locally grown food, because shipping foods destroys the environment. In an ironic twist, she has breast cancer.
I did a search on 'tangerine peel recipe' and came up with a number of results. I guess that various peels are good for flavorings.
The Edwards campaign seems an exercise in foolishness.
“Actually she said she was giving up tangerines in favor of eating only locally grown food, because shipping foods destroys the environment.”
If she transports them herself when flying on a private jet it’s OK.
Dr. Hoon Tan?
Any relation to Poon Tang?
Dr. Hoon Tan is a cancer himself?
However, the compound tends to be produced at higher levels when infection levels among crops are high.
Does this mean diseased crops? The older I get, the more I appreciate clearly written English.
You’re supposed to bust them open and eat the bitter almond-like seed inside.
Fascinating.........I hope the research continues. Sometimes I think that big medicine will never find a cure because they make too much profit off of chemotherapy.
GMTA!
I did the same search and also found a reference to the Chinese herbalists using dried _green_ tangerine peels for stomach ailments. Of course, unless you live in a subtropical climate, there is little chance of finding this item outside an Oriental apothacary shop.
I wonder how much this would apply to other citrus? I have a large, old Calamondin tree. The peel is actually sweeter than the fruit (ie: very tart), thin with no pith. I make a small amount of marmalade or orange sauce from the fruit every year and always put a few in whole cranberry sauce. The fruits are tiny, but it produces 2-4 cupfuls 2x a year.
Pith? Did you say 'pith?'
One of the Avengers?
If this is the case, then Elizabeth Edwards, John the politician’s wife, never should have sworn off.
“I live in North Carolina. I’ll probably never eat a tangerine again,” she said, speaking of a time when the fruit is reaches the price that it “needs” to be. (Elizabeth Edwrads)
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0707/No_tangerines_for_you.html
It's not that odd for chemotherapy agents to have botanical origins. Etoposide, for instance, is derived from the mayapple.
“there is little chance of finding this item outside an Oriental apothacary shop.”
There are several Chinese groceries here in the Cleveland area. I have seen the dried peels in all of them.
I wonder if you could add some dried peels to green tea or coffee, and get the benefits?????
The article doesn’t say if this occurred in a petrie dish. Many substances will kill cancer in a dish that don’t work in the body.
Pith? Did you say 'pith?'
O'Reilly alert! Beware!
I have to travel 250 miles one way to find anything like that.
The Thai (Hmong) groceries within 45 to 90 miles one way carry very little that I would trust, voluntarily eat or couldn’t find elsewhere at a better price from an American packager.
So, I am envious.
Ted Nugent sang about their family
True. I've been on a crash course since June, learning about all the treatment alternatives, both conventional/medical and alternative/herbal. The most promising thing coming down the pike that I've encountered is dietary, though. Induced subclinical copper deficiency. Shuts down the formation of new blood supply to tumors. The most effective means of accomplishing this with rapidity and saftey is via tetrathiomolybdate or TM. It's available through compounding pharmacies. Frequent blood tests, specifically serum ceruloplasmin levels, is key to preventing clinical anemia. Other than that, it appears to be safe and well-tolerated.
I'm looking so hard because my labrador retriever has metastatic osteosarcoma. Palliative radiation was very helpful with reduction of tumor load, pain and range of motion. Standard chemo with carboplatin was not effective. He's now on an anti-angiogenic "metronomic" therapy, with piroxicam and cytoxan for three weeks, followed by piroxicam and etoposide for three weeks. After the six weeks are up, we'll restage him, to see if the therapy has at least stabilized the cancer.
If not, I'm working to implement copper reduction. It's not out of clinical trials, so it's a challenge. Not too many vets are willing to go out on a limb for experimental treatments.
Thanks for posting. Ping.
Apricot pits contain cyanide. Some old Eastern European recipes called for the dried pits but you cannot import them into the US any more is my understanding.
A number of Chinese recipes call for dried tangerine peel.
Laetrile was based on the cyanide compounds found in apricot pits...
“Metronomic,” meaning that his tail wags in an extremely regular manner? Seriously, good luck on this...
Her brother...
Yes, I said arsenic but I guess I had my poisons confused.
Metronomic therapy is high frequency, lower doses, intended to “break” the blood supply to the tumor(s). I’m giving him two pills per day, every morning, one piroxicam (an NSAID) and one cytoxan (a conventional chemotherapy agent, more typically infused in much larger dosage). When we get to the second three weeks, we’ll continue with the piroxicam, but change to etoposide in oral suspension, beef flavored, once daily also. I have high hopes of helping him, he’s a sweet old fellow, and we’re very attached.
One man’s poison is another man’s poison.... 8~)
I love dogs, and the Scriptures encourage use to pray over our animals. My prayers are with you both...
Science Geek Ping
I’m going to the market. I’ll look for tangerines. :)
Thank you. His name is Woody.
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