Blueberries for Colon Cancer Prevention
Pterostilbene, a
compound found in blueberries, may prevent the development of tumors in the
colon, a new study suggests.
Researchers from
Rutgers University in New Jersey explored the role of types of dietary fat,
pterostillbene and other food components in colon cancer prevention.
The study found that rats supplemented with pterostilbene
had 57 percent fewer pre-cancerous lesions in the colon than rats not
supplemented with the blueberry compound.
In the small pilot study, 18 rats were given a compound (azoxymethane)
to induce colon cancer in a manner similar to human colon cancer development.
Half of the animals were then placed on a balanced daily diet, while the other
nine were given the same diet supplemented with pterostilbene (40 parts per
million).
At the end of an eight-week study period, researchers
reported that the pterostilbene-supplemented rats showed fewer pre-cancerous
lesions in their colon in comparison to the control group. They also report
that the blueberry compound reduced colonic cell growth and inhibited
certain genes involved in inflammation, both of which are considered colon
cancer risk factors.
In a related study, blueberry's cholesterol-lowering
activity was investigated. Researchers reported that hamsters that were fed a high-cholesterol
diet containing blueberry skins (7.6 percent of the diet) had lower levels of
plasma and liver triglycerides (TGs), LDL-cholesterol, free and total
cholesterol of 39, 18, 19, 30 and 37 percent, respectively, compared to animals
fed the control diet.
Integrative therapies with strong or good scientific evidence in the prevention or treatment of colon cancer include vitamin A, probiotics, psychotherapy and selenium. For more information on integrative therapies for colon cancer, please visit Natural Standard’s Condition Center.
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