Herbal Therapy: Chaste tree berry, a Functional Herb for Ameliorated Risk and Treatment of Gastric Cancer

Kyle J. Norton


The use of plants for healing purposes has been predated long before the existence of  modern medicine. Herbal plants have formed a fundamental source for conventional medicine in discovery of single ingredient medication, including aspirin (from willow bark), quinine (from cinchona bark), and morphine (from the opium poppy)......

The study conducted by respectable institution suggested that Chaste tree berry may have a potential effect in reduced risk and treatment of gastric/stomach cancer.

Gastric cancer is a condition of abnormal growth of the mucus-producing cells of the inside lining of the stomach. Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of gastric cancer.

Chaste tree berry is a species of Vitex agnus-castus, genus Vitex, belonging to the family Lamiaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, used in herbal medicine for thousands of year as anaphrodisiac herb and considered as Queen herb in treating menstrual problems and discomforts.

According to the Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, ethanol extract of the dried ripe fruit of Vitex agnus-castus (Vitex) displayed a strong cytotoxic activity against human gastric cancer cell through induction of apoptosis.

The efficacy of anti gastric cancer of the extract is a result of antioxidant activity in reduced progression of oxidative stress which can be detected through

using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin-diacetate.

Dr.Ohyama K, the lead author said, " Our results demonstrate that intracellular oxidative stress and mitochondrial membrane damage is responsible for Vitex-induced apoptosis, which may be mediated by a diminution of reduced type glutathione within the cell".

Furthermore, in the support of the above differentiation, other study conducted by the same institution, suggested that Vitex extracted expressed the similar effect against human gastric signet ring carcinoma cell line, KATO-III, through separating or breaking of DNA in a time- and dose-dependent manner.

Additionally, the study also indicated,  Vitex-induced apoptosis by elevated the intracellular oxidative stress and mitochondrial membrane damage of gastric cancer cell lines through mediation of the presence of reduced type glutathione within the cell.

Other; in the investigate the cytotoxicity of the extract against serval human cancer cell line, including gastric signet ring carcinoma (KATO-III), colon carcinoma (COLO 201), showed that injection of the extract exhibited a significant effect in interference of the cell cycle division,reduced  DNA abnormal expression  through antioxidative reagent pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate or N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC).

Finally, according to Dr. Ohyama K, the lead author, the cytotoxic activity of Vitex extract may be attributed to the effect on cell growth in expression of apoptotic cell death by increased intracellular oxidation.

Taking together, chaste tree berry exerted anti cancer effect through various phytochemicals may be used as function food for ameliorated risk and treatment of gastric cancer, but intake of large amount should be taken with care.

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Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton, Master of Nutrients
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published on line, including world wide health, ezine articles, article base, healthblogs, selfgrowth, best before it's news, the karate GB daily, etc.,.
Named TOP 50 MEDICAL ESSAYS FOR ARTISTS & AUTHORS TO READ by Disilgold.com Named 50 of the best health Tweeters Canada - Huffington Post
Nominated for shorty award over last 4 years
Some articles have been used as references in medical research, such as international journal Pharma and Bio science, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) Human gastric signet ring carcinoma (KATO-III) cell apoptosis induced by Vitex agnus-castus fruit extract through intracellular oxidative stress by Ohyama K1, Akaike T, Imai M, Toyoda H, Hirobe C, Bessho T.(PubMed)
(2) Human gastric signet ring carcinoma (KATO-III) cell apoptosis induced by Vitex agnus-castus fruit extract through intracellular oxidative stress by Ohyama K1, Akaike T, Imai M, Toyoda H, Hirobe C, Bessho T.(PubMed)
(3) Cytotoxicity and apoptotic inducibility of Vitex agnus-castus fruit extract in cultured human normal and cancer cells and effect on growth by Ohyama K1, Akaike T, Hirobe C, Yamakawa T.(PubMed)