Holistic Health Articles and Research Related to Herbal Medicines, Foods and Phytochemicals

Friday, 19 July 2019

Phytochemical indicaxanthin, the Best Natural Promotion of Myeloperoxidase Function Against Microbial Infection

By Kyle J. Norton

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a peroxidase enzyme found most abundantly in white blood cells neutrophil granulocytes.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) processes a critical role that protects our body against the invasion of microorganisms.

In cellular levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) demonstrated to be a local mediator of tissue damage by stimulating the production of proinflammatory cytokines with an aim to protect the cell against the invasion of pathogens which may enter the body to induce the acute phase of infection.

In other words, MPO deficiency that induces the exaggerates of the inflammatory response and affects neutrophil functions including cytokine production has been found to reduce the immune function in the acute phase of infection that leads to chronic low-grade inflammatory disease.

MPO deficiency has been found in patients with diabetes mellitus, pregnancy, iron deficiency, renal transplantation, thrombotic diseases, lead poisoning, obstructive jaundice, disseminated cancers, hematologic disorders, and neoplasms.

However, genetic preposition may be the primary condition that causes the onset of PMO deficiency.

Dr. Roma Pahwa wrote, "Primary MPO deficiency is inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder and is generally present with varying degree of severity and clinical features. A number of point germline mutations resulting in MPO deficiency have been detected in primary form. Some of these mutations are associated with the defective posttranslational processing of the MPO precursor protein and others with pre-translational defects caused by mutations in the regulatory portion of the MPO gene".

And, " Most of the mutations associated with the hereditary form are R569W (the commonest), Y173C, M251T, G501S, and R499C and a deletion of 14 bases (D14) within exon 9. It is noteworthy that eosinophils are never involved in MPO deficiency since eosinophil peroxidase is encoded by another gene than MPO".

Isobetanin is phytochemicals in the class of red and yellow indole-derived pigments of Betacyanins, belongings to the group of Betalains, found abundantly in beets, chard,...

With an aim to find a potent compound for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infection, researchers examiend the effects of phytochemical indicaxanthin on enzyme myeloperoxidase.

The kinetic study conducted by the University of Palermo was to examine the interaction between the betalains, betanin, and indicaxanthin as redox intermediates of compound I and compound II of MPO.

Based on the tested differentiation, both compound I and compound II exhibited significant antioxidant activity was found to associate with the concentration of betanin and indicaxanthin.

The presence of betalains and indicaxanthin exhibited the function of MPO in scavenging hypochlorous acid at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C.

At neutral pH and depending on their concentration, both betalains and indicaxanthin.can exhibit a stimulating and inhibitory effect on the chlorination activity of MPO.

However, at pH 5.0 both betalains and can only exhibit a stimulating and inhibitory effect on the chlorination activity of MPO in the micromolar concentrations.

Taken altogether, indicaxanthin may be considered a remedy for the promotion of the antibacterial activity of myeloperoxidase, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Intake of isobetanin and betalains in the form of supplement should be taken with extreme care to prevent liver toxicity.

Sources
(1) "Mechanism of interaction of betanin and indicaxanthin with human myeloperoxidase and hypochlorous acid" by Allegra M, Furtmüller PG, Jantschko W, Zederbauer M, Tesoriere L, Livrea MA, Obinger C.(PubMed)
(2) Myeloperoxidase Deficiency by Roma Pahwa; Ishwarlal Jialal. (NCBI)
(3) Myeloperoxidase: Its role for host defense, inflammation, and neutrophil function by Aratani Y. (PubMed)

Thursday, 18 July 2019

Whole Food Ginger, the Potential Remedy for the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Diseases, According to Scientists

By Kyle J. Norton

Chronic diseases are medical conditions that last more than 3 months depending on the type of diseases.

In other words, chronic diseases generally cannot be prevented or cured by medication, nor do they just disappear.

According to the statistics, chronic diseases affect millions of people worldwide, leading to the death of 35 million people in 2005, including many young people and those in middle age.

Most common types of chronic diseases include cardiovascular diseases, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and mental disorders.

In inflammatory perspective, chronic inflammatory diseases are the results of the immune system response inability to kill off all infectious pathogens during the acute phase of infection, leading to the immune adaptation to the new change.

In some cases, chronic diseases also are caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the bodily tissue, leading to low-grade inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Out of many risk factor associated with the onset of chronic diseases, some researchers suggested that the widespread chronic diseases may be caused long-term unhealthy diet.

The World Health Organization in the evaluation of noncommunicable diseases wrote, "An unhealthy diet is one of the major risk factors for a range of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and other conditions linked to obesity. Specific recommendations for a healthy diet include: eating more fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and grains; cutting down on salt, sugar, and fats. It is also advisable to choose unsaturated fats, instead of saturated fats"

And, Improving dietary habits is a societal, not just an individual problem. Therefore it demands a population-based, multisectoral, multi-disciplinary, and culturally relevant approach".

The results strongly suggested that if you follow a healthy diet such as traditional diet, your risk of chronic disease is reduced compared to unhealthy diet individuals.

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) or ginger root, the second superfood used for thousands of years by mankind, is the genus Zingiber, belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, native to Tamil.

The root has been used in traditional and Chinese medicine for the treatment of dyspepsia, gastroparesis, constipation, edema, difficult urination, colic, etc.

With an aim to discover a natural remedy for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, researchers examined the effects of different levels of ginger intake.

The large cross-sectional study included 4628 participants (1823 men and 2805 women) ages 18 to 77 y who were asked to complete face-to-face dietary and health questionnaires.

According to the returned questionnaires, daily ginger consumption was associated with decreased risk for hypertension and coronary heart disease (CHD) in adults ages ≥18 y.

However, after 20 y, ginger daily consumption did not exert any effects on hypertension but there was still a difference between ginger consumption and CHD in adults ages ≥60 y.

There is no surprise that the probability of illness (hypertension or CHD) is decreased when the level of daily ginger intake is increased.

Dr. Wang Y, the lead scientist wrote in the final report, "...ginger has a potential preventive property against some chronic diseases, especially hypertension and CHD, as well as its ability to reduce the probability of illness".

In order to know more information about ginger anti chronic diseases activity, scientists at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia investigated the phenolic compounds such as gingerol, shogaol, and paradol antioxidant, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory properties.

Gingerols, the major pungent constituent of ginger showed potent activity in modulating and targeting signaling pathways associated with the ameliorating, reversing or preventing chronic diseases in human studies and animal models.

Dr.Mohd Yusof YA, in the final report, said, " The use of ginger and especially gingerols as medicinal food derivative appears to be safe in treating or preventing chronic diseases which will benefit the common population, clinicians, patients, researchers, students, and industrialists".

Taken altogether, ginger processed a number of bioactive ingredients such as gingerol, and shogaol may be considered a functional remedy for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases with no side effects, pending to the confirmation of larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Natural Medicine for Fatty Liver And Obesity Reversal - The Revolutionary Findings To Achieve Optimal Health And Lose Weight

How To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters
Contrary To Professionals Prediction, Floaters Can Be Cured Naturally

Ovarian Cysts And PCOS Elimination
Holistic System In Existence That Will Show You How To
Permanently Eliminate All Types of Ovarian Cysts Within 2 Months

Back to Kyle J. Norton Homepage http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, 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 Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

References
(1) Evaluation of daily ginger consumption for the prevention of chronic diseases in adults: A cross-sectional study by Wang Y1, Yu H2, Zhang X1, Feng Q3, Guo X1, Li S1, Li R1, Chu D1, Ma Y4. (PubMed)
(2) Gingerol and Its Role in Chronic Diseases by Mohd Yusof YA1. (PubMed)
(3) Noncommunicable diseases by WHO

Cranberry, the Natural Anti Colon Cancer Remedy in Vivo

By Kyle J. Norton

The colon formed part of the digestive tract including the large intestine with a function to reabsorb fluids and process and secret waste products from the body.

Colon cancer is a medical and chronic condition characterized by irregular growth of cells in the colon, due to the alternation of cell DNA.

According to the statistic provided by the American Cancer Society, in 2019, approximately, 101,420 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed. Colon cancer also causes the death of 51,020 deaths. during 2019.

The lifetime risk associated with the onset of colorectal cancer is 1 in 22 (4.49%) for men and 1 in 24 (4.15%) for women.

Most cases of colon cancer start in the cells on the surface of the inner lining of the organs tissues, before forming a tumor by penetrating into the deeper layers of the affected organ.

At the advanced stage, after growing larger in size, most primary colonic cancer cells can travel a distance away to infect other healthy tissues and organ, leading to secondary spreading.

Colon cancer is one most slow-growing cancer compared to other cancers. In some patients, colon cancer may exist in the colon more than 20 years before it is discovered. Therefore, only 39% of colon cancer is diagnosed in the early stage, that orchestrates more incidences of death compared to other cancers.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States.

The median age diagnosed with colon cancer is 68 in men and 72 in women compared to the age of 63 of rectal cancer in both men and women.

Most cases of colon cancer are adenocarcinomas, originated in epithelium tissues, that line the colon.
Out of many risk factors involved in the onset of colorectal cancer, an unhealthy diet with a higher in saturate and trans fat, red meats, and processed foods and fewer with fruits and vegetables is one of the major culprits that cause the onset of the disease, according to the epidemiological studies.

Dr. Robb Bird, the editor at the worldwide health wrote, "Poor diet is associated with about 80 percent of colorectal cancer cases".

And "These cancers are a result of a combination of several causes including genetic, epigenetic and environmental causes, such as diet. Hopefully, with more research, the exact pathways by which diet leads to cancer can be discovered".

Cranberry is an evergreen dwarf shrub, genus Vaccinium, belongings to the family Ericaceae, native to Northern America and Southern Asia. Because of its health benefits, cranberry has been cultivated in some parts of the world for commercial profit and used in traditional and herbal medicine to treat wounds, urinary disorders, diarrhea, diabetes, stomach ailments, and liver problems.

On finding a potential compound for the treatment of cancer, researchers examined the protective effects of whole cranberry powder (WCP) on colitis-associated colon tumorigenesis in an animal model.

In mouse colon tumorigenesis induced by azoxymethane (AOM) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), dietary administration of WCP (1.5%, w/w in the diet) significantly suppressed the colon tumorigenesis by inhibiting the cancer progression and proliferation.

Furthermore, WCP injection was found to shrink the average tumor size in mice compared to the positive control mice.

Genes and proteins elevated expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with the initiation of colon cancer such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the colon of AOM/DSS-treated mice were markedly attenuated by the administration of WCP.

Moreover, WCP not only modulates multiple signaling pathways/proteins related to inflammation, cell proliferation, apoptosis against the colon cancer but also blocked the activity of angiogenesis, and metastasis.

Based on the finding, researchers wrote, "Overall, the results demonstrate chemopreventive effects of WCP on colon tumorigenesis in mice, providing a scientific basis for using the whole cranberry as a functional food to promote colon health in humans".

Taken altogether, cranberry may be considered a remedy for the prevention and treatment of colon cancer, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Sources
(1) Chemopreventive Effects of Whole Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) on Colitis-Associated Colon Tumorigenesis by Wu X1, Song M1,2, Cai X1, Neto C3, Tata A3, Han Y1, Wang Q1, Tang Z4, Xiao H. (PubMed)
(2) High-fat diet found to stimulate cell growth in the colon, increasing the risk of colon cancer by the World Health Net

Healthy Food Onion, The Natural Anti High Blood Pressure Whole Food

By Kyle J. Norton

High blood pressure, a member of the cluster of metabolic syndrome associated with the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes is a medical condition characterized by elevated blood pressure in the arteries.

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps out blood.

More precisely in high blood pressure patients, the heart has to work harder to circulate blood to the body needs. Long-term elevated blood pressure raises the pressure of the heart, has been found to damage to the heart tissue, leading to the risk of cardiovascular disease.

According to the statistics provided by the CDC, approximately 54% of adults in the US are living with high blood pressure and half of that have an uncontrol condition.

In the US, high blood pressure is a major cause of heart disease and stroke and a leading cause of death.

Most patients with high blood pressure are assymptomatic. However, over time, the elevated high blood pressure can induce symptoms severe headache, fatigue or confusion, vision problems. chest pain difficulty breathing accompanied by symptoms of the abnormal heartbeat

Most prevalent factors associated with high blood pressure found in patients are tobacco or excessive alcohol drinking, chronic medical conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes and sleep apnea.

Some researchers in the investigation of the correlation of diet in the risk hypertension in pregnancy wrote, " a diet rich in vegetables and fish decreased the odds of developing gestational hypertension by 14% (5491/39,362 women developed hypertension) and pre-eclampsia by 21% (1168/54,778 women developed pre-eclampsia) ".

And, "Meanwhile, a Western diet increased the odds of developing gestational hypertension by 18% (5491/39,362 women developed hypertension) and pre-eclampsia by 40% (1168/54,778 women developed pre-eclampsia)".

In other words, by following a healthy diet and moderate exercise, high blood pressure is preventable.

The onion is a plant in the genus Allium, belonging to the family Alliaceae, a close relation of garlic. It is often called the "king of vegetables" because of its pungent taste and found in a large number of recipes and preparations spanning almost the totality of the world's cultures.

Depending on the variety, an onion can be sharp, spicy, tangy, pungent, mild or sweet.

With an aim to find a potent ingredient for the prevention of heart disease, researchers examiend the effects of quercetin, a bioactive compound found in onion supplementation in reducing blood pressure in hypertensive rodents.

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study included men and women diagnosed with prehypertension (n = 19) and stage 1 hypertension (n = 22) received either 730 mg quercetin/d for 28 days or placebo.

Based on the tested differentiation,

* Both quercetin and placebo did not alter the blood pressure in prehypertensive patients.

* Quercetin exerted a strong effect on the reductions of systolic (-7 +/- 2 mm Hg), diastolic (-5 +/- 2 mm Hg), and mean arterial pressures (-5 +/- 2 mm Hg) in stage 1 hypertensive patient compared to placebo.

* However, quercetin showed no effect on oxidative stress, according to the measurement of the plasma and urine.

The results strongly suggested that quercetin supplementation lowers blood pressure, depending on the reading of the blood pressure, without alternating the oxidative stress in the arteries.

Collectively, researchers wrote, "These data are the first to our knowledge to show that quercetin supplementation reduces blood pressure in hypertensive subjects. Contrary to animal-based studies, there was no quercetin-evoked reduction in systemic markers of oxidative stress".

Taken altogether, onion processed a higher amount of quercetin may be considered a remedy for the treatment of hypertension, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Sources
(1) Quercetin reduces blood pressure in hypertensive subjects by Edwards RL1, Lyon T, Litwin SE, Rabovsky A, Symons JD, Jalili T. (PubMed)
(2) Quercetin-supplemented diets lower blood pressure and attenuate cardiac hypertrophy in rats with aortic constriction by Jalili T1, Carlstrom J, Kim S, Freeman D, Jin H, Wu TC, Litwin SE, David Symons J. (PubMed)
(3) A diet rich in vegetables and fish linked to lower risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy by Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Healthy Kitchen Spice Turmeric that Processes Anti Liver Fibrosis Formation

By Kyle J. Norton

Fibrosis is a medical condition caused by the excessive formation of fibrous connective tissue in an organ or tissue.

The liver is the largest internal organ that not only plays an essential role to cleanse the blood coming from the digestive system before passing them to other parts of the body but also secrets cholesterol to aid digestive function, produce steroid hormones and vitamin D and build strong cell walls.

Liver fibrosis is a condition caused by early scars tissues buildup on the liver which limits the function of the liver.

Liver fibrosis is the early stage of cirrhosis, a leading cause of liver failure and liver cancer.

Most cases of hepatic fibrosis is a result of an imbalance of production and dissolution of collagen in extracellular matrix caused by overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines in the acute phase of infection or interruption in the stages of healing.

According to the statistics provided by the Johns Hopkins Medicine, cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases are common disease-related causes of death in the U.S. Approximately 31,000 people in the U.S. die each year from cirrhosis.

Epidemiologically, according to the confirmed fibrosis in patients, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) account for 66% of all cases.

Age, male gender, waist circumference, HCV antibody, and alcohol consumption are some other independent factors associated with patients with confirmed liver fibrosis.

Compared to liver disease, the most common symptoms of liver fibrosis are appetite loss, fluid buildup in the legs or stomach, nausea and weakness nausea.

Some patients may also experience symptoms of jaundice, difficulty thinking clearly and unexplained weight loss.

Conventionally, most cases of the advanced stages of liver fibrosis are treated by liver transplantation.

Turmeric is a perennial plant in the genus Curcuma, belonging to the family Zingiberaceae, native to tropical South Asia.

The herb has been used in traditional medicine as anti-oxidant, hypoglycemic, colorant, antiseptic, wound healing agent, and for the treatment of flatulence, bloating, and appetite loss, ulcers, eczema, inflammations, etc.

On finding a natural ingredient for the protection of liver integrity, researchers examined the effect of Curcuma wenyujin Y.H.(CW)a variety to Curcumae Rhizoma, documented in China Pharmacopeia and vinegar processed CW (VCW) on hepatic fibrosis.

Based on the tested analysis, both CW and VCW inhibited the initiation of liver fibrosis by inhibiting the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells.

Activation of hepatic stellate cells has been found to centralize the onset of hepatic fibrosis.

Furthermore, both formulas also hepatic stellate cells apoptosis by blocking TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways that promote cell growth and angiogenesis.

CW and VCW also participated in the degradation process of the extracellular matrix (MMP-2/TIMP-1) which is markers in patients with liver fibrosis.

Based on the findings, researchers wrote, "Raw and vinegar processed Curcuma wenyujin regulate hepatic fibrosis via blocking TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways and up-regulation of MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio. And the effect of VCR exhibited more significant than CR".

Taken altogether, turmeric and vinegar processed turmeric may be considered supplements for the prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Intake of turmeric in the form of supplement should be taken with extreme care to prevent overdose acute liver toxicity.

Natural Medicine for Fatty Liver And Obesity Reversal - The Revolutionary Findings To Achieve Optimal Health And Lose Weight

How To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters
Contrary To Professionals Prediction, Floaters Can Be Cured Naturally

Ovarian Cysts And PCOS Elimination
Holistic System In Existence That Will Show You How To
Permanently Eliminate All Types of Ovarian Cysts Within 2 Months

Back to Kyle J. Norton Homepage http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca

Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, 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 Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) [Effects of Curcumae Rhizoma/vinegar-processed Curcumae Rhizoma on immune hepatic fibrosis, proliferation of HSC-T6 and expression of α-SMA and Procollagen I].[Article in Chinese] by Zhang J1,2, Song Y3, Wang QH4, Li L1,2, Ji1,2, Gu W1, Hao M1, Lu TL1,2, Mao CQ. (PubMed)
(2) Raw and vinegar processed Curcuma wenyujin regulates hepatic fibrosis via bloking TGF-β/Smad signaling pathways and up-regulation of MMP-2/TIMP-1 ratio by Xie H1, Su D2, Zhang J1, Ji1, Mao J1, Hao M1, Wang Q1, Mao C. (PubMed)

Wednesday, 17 July 2019

Phytochemical Betacyanins Might Reduce Risk of Insulin Resistance

By Kyle J. Norton

A group of scientists might have found a solution to fix the insulin resistance associated with metabolic factors, according to the Fuli Institute of Food Science.

Or, at least they said their finding appears to block the insulin resistance in high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obese mice by the analysis of purified pitaya peel betacyanins (PPBNs) activity.

Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body has failed to use insulin property in converting glucose to energy in the muscles, body fat, intestine, and liver. The condition is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes.

Believe it or not, over 100 million Americans are living with insulin resistance. Approximately 1 in 3, including half of those age 60 and older have a silent blood sugar problem known as insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance is not caused by a single factor, epidemiologically, aging, ethnicity, overweight or obese, too much belly fat, physical inactivity, smoking and certain medical conditions such as Cushing’s disease or polycystic ovary disease are some of the prevalent factors that induce the risk of the syndrome.

Betacyanins are phytochemicals in the class of red and yellow indole-derived pigments, belongings to the group of Betalains, found abundantly in beets, chard, etc.

According to the results of male C57BL/6 mice fed a low-fat diet, HFD or HFD supplemented with the purified pitaya peel betacyanins (PPBNs) for 14 weeks, all betacyanin concentrations found in the PPBNs reduced HFD-induced parameters associated with metabolic disorder including insulin resistance, thus reducing symptoms of tiredness, hunger, and difficulty concentration.

Moreover, genes associated with the induction of obesity-induced insulin resistance in obese mice were significantly decreased by the administration of PPBNs.

In fact, insulin resistance over time associated with a genetic preposition can reduce the function of the beta cells in the pancreas, leading to the onset of prediabetes and diabetes.

As of today, there is a no effective treatment for insulin resistance, some researchers suggested by a change of diets such as low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets or very-low-calorie diet and regular physical activity patients to prevent the risk of obesity may reduce the effects of insulin resistance.

Dr. Stephen R Bird, the lead scientist wrote, "combining exercise interventions with dietary and feeding manipulations to investigate the potential for augmenting the exercise-induced improvements in SI and glycaemic control".

The purified pitaya peel betacyanins also increased the expression of lipid metabolism involved in obese mice.

Taken altogether, betacyanins may be considered a remedy for the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance, pending to the confirmation of larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Intake of betacyanins in the form of supplement should be taken with extreme care to prevent overdose acute liver toxicity.

Sources
(1) Red pitaya betacyanins protects from diet-induced obesity, liver steatosis and insulin resistance in association with modulation of gut microbiota in mice by Song H1,2, Chu Q1, Yan F1, Yang Y1, Han W1, Zheng X. (PubMed)
(2) Purified Betacyanins from Hylocereus undatus Peel Ameliorate Obesity and Insulin Resistance in High-Fat-Diet-Fed Mice by Song H1, Chu Q1, Xu D1, Xu Y1, Zheng X. (PubMed)
(3) Update on the effects of physical activity on insulin sensitivity in humans by Stephen R Bird1 and John A Hawley. (PMC)

Healthy Food Cucumber, the Best Antioxidant Functional Food

By Kyle J. Norton

Antioxidants are stable molecules that inhibit oxidation produced either by the liver or from the consumption of antioxidant-rich foods.

In other words, antioxidants inhibit the unstable free radicals with a single electron in the outermost ring that facilitates the domino's reaction to cause oxidative stress.

Free radicals are unstable molecules existing everywhere in the environment and in the body. The air we breathe and the food we eat and cellular metabolism are found to induce the production of free radicals.

Free radicals in moderate are necessary for the proper function of our body, such as free radical NO which is needed to relax the blood vessels. However, overexpression of free radicals can induce oxidative stress in the tissues and organs, leading protein, lipid, and cellular DNA damage.

Overexpression of oxidative stress over time has linked to the onset of chronic diseases, inclduing arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.

In a healthy individual, antioxidant enzymes produced by the body are good enough to neutralize the levels of free radicals in the body. However, people with a weakened immune system may need an additional dietary source of antioxidant.

Most common risk factors associated with oxidative stress are antioxidants deficiency in the body caused by demographic, physical, lifestyle or nutritional factors.

Some researchers suggested people who smoke may be at the increased risk of oxidative stress.

Dr. the lead scientist wrote, "Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for several human diseases. Chronic inflammation, resulting from increased oxidative stress, has been suggested as a mechanism that contributes to the increased susceptibility of smokers to cancer and microbial infections".

And, "Several studies have indicated greater levels of oxidative stress in cigarette smokers [31, 32], which is most likely attributed to the high concentration of ROS and nitrogen species (RNS) in cigarette smoke [33–36]. In addition, cigarette smoke has been associated with elevated ROS production by leukocytes in the airways of both acute and chronic smokers [37]".

The results strongly suggested, if you smoke, your risk of diseases associated with oxidative stress increased substantially, compared to those who don't.

The cucumber plant is a species of Cucumis Sativus, belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae and native to Western Asia. It is a creeping vine with roots in the ground and grows up with the support of frames.

With an aim to find a natural compound which processes antioxidative stress, researchers examined the antioxidant activity of polysaccharide from cucumber (Cucumis saticus L.) prepared by the hydrothermal method.

According to the tested assays in the chemical analysis of body fluids, the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) method showed had a higher deproteinization percentage compared to other hydrothermal preparation.

In other words, the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) method demonstrated a little higher polysaccharide loss percentage due to the effect of the cucumber polysaccharide linkage by the β-glycosidic bonds.

According to the chemical constituent analysis, d-glucose, d-mannose, d-galactose, l-rhamnose, d-xylose, l-arabinose, d-glucuronic acid, and d-galacturonic acid worked synergistically in exerting scavenging ability against free radical superoxide anions.

Taken altogether, cucumber may be the beast antioxidant whole food for the treatment of diseases associated with oxidative stress, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Intake of CuB in the form of supplement should be taken with extreme care to prevent overdose acute liver toxicity.

Natural Medicine for Fatty Liver And Obesity Reversal - The Revolutionary Findings To Achieve Optimal Health And Lose Weight

How To Get Rid Of Eye Floaters
Contrary To Professionals Prediction, Floaters Can Be Cured Naturally

Ovarian Cysts And PCOS Elimination
Holistic System In Existence That Will Show You How To
Permanently Eliminate All Types of Ovarian Cysts Within 2 Months

Back to Kyle J. Norton Homepage http://kylejnorton.blogspot.ca
Author Biography
Kyle J. Norton (Scholar, Master of Nutrition, All right reserved)
Health article writer and researcher; Over 10.000 articles and research papers have been written and published online, including worldwide health, ezine articles, article base, health blogs, self-growth, 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 Bioscience, ISSN 0975-6299.

Sources
(1) Preparation, deproteinization, characterisation, and antioxidant activity of polysaccharide from cucumber (Cucumis saticus L.) by Chen L1, Huang G2, Hu J. (PubMed)
(2) Effects of Heat Shock on Photosynthetic Properties, Antioxidant Enzyme Activity, and Downy Mildew of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) by Ding X1,2, Jiang Y1, Hao T1, Jin H1, Zhang H1, He L1, Zhou Q1, Huang D2, Hui D3, Yu J. (PubMed)
(3) Role of Oxidative Stress in the Suppression of Immune Responses in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Exposed to Combustible Tobacco Product Preparation by Subhashini Arimilli,