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

Friday 24 May 2019

Herbal Turmeric Inhibits Parameters Associated with β-thalassemia

By Kyle J. Norton

Anemia is a health condition in which our body do not have enough red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood that carries the function of delivering oxygen and nutrient to the tissues.

Patients with Beta- thalassemia minor have a slight lowering of the beta hemoglobin level in the blood similar to those with mild iron-deficiency anemia.

Beta thalassemia can be classified into

* Thalassemia minor, the mild case of anemia. is the most common anemia in people of Mediterranean descent. The blood cells of patients with thalassemia minor are smaller than normal blood cells and easily die off, causing not enough new blood cells to replace the loss of red blood cells.

* Thalassemia major
Thalassemia major also called Cooley's anemia is an inherited disorder that affects the production of normal hemoglobin. Thalassemia major is a deadly disease without frequent blood transfusions, people with this kind of anemia may not survive because of iron building up in heart and other organs, resulting in heart failure.

Most common symptoms of beta thalassemia are fatigue, weakness, or shortness of breath, a pale appearance or yellow color to the skin (jaundice), irritability, deformities of the facial bone, slow growth, a swollen abdomen, and dark urine.

If you have experienced persistently the aforementioned symptoms, please make sure that you check with your doctor for preventive measure.

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 to treat flatulence, bloating, and appetite loss, ulcers, eczema, inflammations, etc.

On finding a natural treatment of anemia, researchers examined the effects of curcumin, the active polyphenol in turmeric, on iron overload, hepcidin level, and liver function in β-thalassemia major patients.

The double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 68 β-thalassemia major patients, randomly divided into 2 groups to receive either 500 mg curcumin capsules (total: 1,000 mg) twice daily or placebo for 12 weeks.

Based on the observation of the tested assays, curcumin group showed a significant decrease in levels of nontransferrin bound iron (NTBI), aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) compared to the placebo group.

In other words, turmeric protects the integrity of the red blood by reducing the cellular oxidative stress and inhibiting the iron toxicity in the β-thalassemia major patients without affecting the levels of hepcidin and other variables.

Based on the results, researchers wrote, " Curcumin administration alleviated the iron burden and liver dysfunction by reducing NTBI, ALT, and AST levels in patients with β-thalassemia major".

Additionally, according to the evaluation of the Mahidol University on 10 β-thalassemia/Hb E patients treated with 500 mg curcuminoids daily for 12 months, injection of the supplement showed significantly decreased intensity in thalassemic plasma, compared to those of normal subjects, including increased levels of plasma levels of proteins associated with the condition and reduced levels of oxidative damage.

More precisely, serum non-transferrin bound iron associated with iron overload, platelet factor-3 like activity, oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant enzymes were also improved after curcuminoids treatment.

Taken altogether, turmeric processed abundantly bioactive compound curcumin may be considered supplements for the prevention and treatment of β-thalassemia, 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.

Bromelain Inhibits Knee Pain in Human Trials

By Kyle J. Norton

Knee pain or pain on the knee is a common complaint of people of all ages, particularly in the older population.

Causes of knee pain may be a result of ruptured ligament or torn cartilage and medical conditions such as arthritis, gout, and infections.

Acute knee pain is a condition that recovers itself in a short period of time.

Chronic knee pain is a medical condition that lasts more than 3 months.

Compared to the acute knee pain, the most common causes of chronic knee pain are low-grade inflammation caused by repeated overuse or injury of the knee, that lead to damaged cartilage under the kneecap.

Chronic knee pain is also associated with patients with gout caused by the buildup of uric acid.

According to the statistics, approximately, 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Knee pain is the second most common cause of chronic pain

In the gender perspective, between 15 and 20% of all men are afflicted with knee pain, compared to the overall prevalence of knee pain of roughly 20% in women.

Most common symptoms of knee pain are swelling and stiffness, particularly in the morning, redness and warmth to the touch, weakness, and instability and Inability to fully straighten the knee.

Conventionally, the immediate treatment for acute knee pain caused by occupation is rest, ice, and compression and pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed to ease inflammation and pain.

Bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme found in pineapples (Ananas comosus) has been used in traditional medicine as an inflammatory agent and to treat pains, strains, and muscle aches and pains and ease back pain and chronic joint pain, skin diseases, etc.

On finding a potential compound for pain relief, researchers examined the effects of bromelain on patients with acute knee pain of fewer than 3 months duration in healthy adults.

Participants in the open, dose-ranging postal study were recruited through newspaper and magazine articles and received either 200 mg or 400 mg per day for one month.

According to the tested assays and questionnaire returned by 77 subjects who completed the study, both treatment groups showed a significant improvement of all WOMAC symptom dimension scores, particularly, in total symptom score.

Compared to the low dose intervention, treatment with 400 mg bromelain per day demonstrated a better of total symptom score (P = 0.036) and the stiffness (P = 0.026) and physical function (P = 0.021).

However, compared to the baseline, overall psychological well-being was significantly improved in both groups.

Based on the findings, researchers wrote, "We conclude that bromelain may be effective in ameliorating physical symptoms and improving general well-being in otherwise healthy adults suffering from mild knee pain in a dose-dependent manner".

Taken altogether, bromelain may be considered supplements for the prevention and treatment of acute knee pain, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

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

Sources
(1) Bromelain reduces mild acute knee pain and improves well-being in a dose-dependent fashion in an open study of otherwise healthy adults by Walker AF1, Bundy R, Hicks SM, Middleton RW. (PubMed)

Healthy Food Cucumber Protects the Stomach Against Hyper-Acidity

By Kyle J. Norton

A stomach ulcer is an opened sore in the lining of the stomach.

In other words, if the mucus layer of your stomach that protects your stomach tissues against stomach acid is worn away and stops functioning, you may have a stomach ulcer.

Most common symptoms of stomach ulcer are indigestion caused by reduced function of the stomach, pain or discomfort in the stomach area.

Some patients may also experience symptoms of heartburn, vomiting or vomiting blood, leading to dark blood in stools, or stools that are black or tarry, unexplained weight loss, appetite changes.

If you have some of the aforementioned symptoms that often change over time, please check with your doctor to rule out the possibility.

Epidemiologically, long-term intake of NSAIDs, smoking, excessive alcohol drinking psychological symptoms such as stress and eating spicy food are some of the most stomach ulcer prevalent factors.

According to the statistics, in the US, peptic ulcer disease (PUD) affects approximately 4.5 million people annually and the lifetime prevalence infected by H pylori is approximately 20%.

Believe it or not, approximately, 1/10 people in the US will develop an ulcer in the stomach or small intestine at some points in their lives.

Conventionally, depending on the causes of stomach ulcer, the patient may be prescribed by

* Antibiotic medications for the treatment of bacterial infection.

* Medications that reduce or block acid production and promote healing.

* Particularly, the medications that protect the lining of the stomach.

The cucumber plant is a species of Cucumis Sativus, belongings 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 for the treatment of stomach ulcer, researchers compared the compares the antacid effect of broccoli, kale, radish, cucumber, lemon juice, cold milk and curd in an artificial stomach model.

According to the tested results, cucumber exerted an acid neutralizing effect better than those of water.

Compared to other healthy foods, cucumber exhibited a significantly higher duration of consistent neutralization.

In other words, cucumber protected the stomach against acidity by restoring the natural gastric balance and function, which may have a strong impact on curbing acid reflux and reducing the burning sensation due to hyperacidity.

Through its acid neutralizing effect, cucumber may soothe the inflamed mucosa of the stomach against the onset of ulcer.

Based on the results, Dr. after taking other factors into account wrote, "It may be concluded that the natural food ingredients used in this study exhibited significant antacid activity, justifying their use as essential dietary components to counter hyperacidity".

Taken altogether, cucumber may be used for the treatment of stomach hyperacidity, pending to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Sources
(1) A comparative study of the antacid effect of some commonly consumed foods for hyperacidity in an artificial stomach model by Panda V1, Shinde P2, Deora J2, Gupta P. (PubMed)

Whole Food Ginger, A Natural Treatment for Diabetes with No Side Effects

By Kyle J. Norton

Diabetes is a chronic low-grade inflammatory condition associated with the insufficient insulin entering bloodstream due to the reduced numbers of beta cells in the pancreas or insulin receptor site clogged up by fat or cholesterol.

Beta cells in the pancreas are the endocrine portion of the pancreas, made up 50–70% of the cells in human islets that produce insulin.

Beta cells secret stored insulin in response to the spikes in blood glucose concentrations.

On the other hand, when the blood glucose levels drop, the alpha cells in the pancreas release glucagon in stimulating the liver cells to release glucose into the circulation.

In short, cells in pancreas protect our body system by modulating the levels of blood glucose for the best to our body

Insulin receptor site is a protein that binds to insulin and passes its message into the cell in which the cells convert glucose to energy.

There are many risk factors associated with the risk of diabetes, including diseases associated with insulin resistance such as age, family history, ethnicity diseases associated with insulin resistance such as polycystic ovary syndrome and obesity, physical inactivity, and gestational diabetes.

Out of many risk factors associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes, some researchers suggested that the rapid rise of type 2 diabetes in the Western world may be correlated to the promotion of high-fat diet over past many decades.

Dr. David Hefner, wrote, "The typical Western diet-red meat, high-fat dairy products, refined grains and desserts-may increase your chances for Type 2 diabetes. That's what researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have found and reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine".

And, "The news isn't particularly shocking but offers a new view on the health risks of a typical Western diet as a whole, rather than simply attacking elements within the diet such as fatty foods. "It's the entirety of the diet that's important," Dr. Frank B. Hu, the study's lead author, was reported as saying in The New York Times".

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.

On finding a potential compound or whole food for the treatment of diabetes with no side effects, researchers analyzed the ginger consumption on glycemic status, lipid profile and some inflammatory markers in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial included 70 type 2 diabetic patients randomly assigned into ginger group consumed 1600 mg ginger and control group consumed 1600 mg wheat flour placebo daily for 12 weeks.

Ginger showed a significant effect in almost all parameters associated with diabetes including reduced fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C, insulin, HOMA, triglyceride, total cholesterol, CRP and PGE₂ significantly compared with the placebo group (p < 0.05).

However, there were no significant differences in HDL, LDL, and TNFα between two groups (p > 0.05).

PGE₂ and TNFα are hormone and protein involved the production of proinflammatory cytokines.

In other words, ginger protects patients with diabetes against the onset of complications.

Dr. the lead scientist said, "Ginger improved insulin sensitivity and some fractions of lipid profile, and reduced CRP and PGE₂ in type 2 diabetic patients. Therefore ginger can be considered as an effective treatment for the prevention of diabetes complications".

Furthermore, in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 64 patients with DM2 who were assigned to ginger or placebo groups (receiving 2 g/d of each), researchers also found that injection of ginger exerts a strong anti-diabetes activity by significantly lowered the levels of insulin, LDL-C, TG and the HOMA index (3.9 ± 1.09 versus 4.5 ± 1.8; p = 0.002) in comparison to the control group, similar to those of aforementioned study.

Based on the results, researchers suggested, "ginger supplementation improved insulin sensitivity and some fractions of lipid profile in DM2 patients. Therefore it may be considered as a useful remedy to reduce the secondary complications of DM2".

Take all together, ginger may be considered a functional alternative for the prevention of diabetic complications and treatment of diabetes, pending to the confirmation of large sample size and multicenter human study.

Thursday 23 May 2019

Herbal Turmeric, A Natural And Potential Treatment of Chagas Heart Disease

By Kyle J. Norton

Chagas disease (CD) is a medical condition caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.

According to the statistics, approximately 6 million people worldwide are living Chagas disease. The majority of patients reside in Mexico, Central America, and South America,

Chagas heart disease can be classified into
* Acute Chagas heart disease is characterized by the inflammation of the heart, gastrointestinal tract (mainly esophagus and colon), meninges, and central and peripheral nervous tissues. Untreated symptomatic patients in this phase may face a roughly 1% chance of death in the acute period, usually the result of severe myocarditis or meningoencephalitis

* The indeterminate form of Chagas heart disease is characterized by small foci of mild chronic myocarditis, with interstitial edema, early fibrosis, and infiltration by lymphocytes, macrophages, and plasma cells. Most patients with the indeterminate form will progress to the chronic form of Chagas heart disease such as dilated cardiomyopathy, at a rate of 1.85% to 7% annually.

* The chronic form of Chagas heart disease is characterized by cardiomegaly and increased cardiac mass, thinning of the ventricular walls, and aneurysmal lesions in various regions of the LV and right ventricle (RV).

Dr. Edimar Alcides Bocchi, the lead scientist in the treatment of Chagas heart disease wrote, "Pharmacological treatment and antiarrhythmic therapy for ChHD is mostly based on results for other etiologies. Heart transplantation is an established, valuable therapeutic option in refractory ChHD".

And, "Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are indicated for the prevention of secondary sudden cardiac death. Specific etiological treatments should be revisited and reserved for select patients. Understanding and management of ChHD need improvement, including the development of randomized trials".

Turmeric is a perennial plant in the genus Curcuma, belongings 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.

With an aim to find a potential compound for the treatment of Chagas heart disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi., researchers examined the anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties of curcumin (Cur).

The study included oral therapy with Cur on T. cruzi-mediated cardio-vasculopathy in acutely infected mice and in vitro, the response of parasite-infected human microvascular endothelial cells treated with this phytochemical.

According to the tested assays, oral Cur therapy showed a reduced inflammatory cell infiltration of myocardial arteries without lowering parasite levels in the tested infected mice.

Furthermore, mice treated with Cur showed significantly decreased vessel inflammation scores (p < 0.001), vascular permeabilities compared to mice treated with the phosphate-buffered saline-receiving group.

Moreover, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and ET-1 secretion involved in vascular constriction was also inhibited by the treatment of Cur.

Additionally, proteins and signaling pathways that promote the generation of inflammatory agents also inhibited by the injection of Cur.

In other words, curcumin (Cur) exerted the anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties against parasite-induced the onset of Chagas heart disease.

Based on the findings researchers wrote, "These findings identify new perspectives for exploring the potential of Cur-based interventions to ameliorate Chagas heart disease".

Taken altogether, turmeric processed abundantly bioactive compound curcumin may be considered supplements for the prevention and treatment of Chagas heart disease, 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) Curcumolide reduces diabetic retinal vascular leukostasis and leakage partly via inhibition of the p38MAPK/NF-κ B signaling by Cai Y1, Li W1, Tu H1, Chen N1, Zhong Z1, Yan P1, Dong J. (PubMed)
(2) Curcumin exerts anti-inflammatory and vasoprotective effects through amelioration of NFAT-dependent endothelin-1 production in mice with acute Chagas cardiomyopathy by Hernández M1, Wicz S1, Santamaría MH2, Corral RS. (PubMed)
(3) Chagas Cardiomyopathy: An Update of Current Clinical Knowledge and Management A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. (Circulation)
(4) Chronic Chagas Heart Disease Management
From Etiology to Cardiomyopathy Treatment by Edimar Alcides Bocchi, Reinaldo Bulgarelli Bestetti, Mauricio Ibrahim Scanavacca, Edecio Cunha Neto and Victor Sarli Issa. (JACC)

Phytochemical Lycopene Kills Head and Neck Cancer Cells, According to Study

By Kyle J. Norton

Cancer is a group of disease caused by cell growth irregularly in the affected tissue caused by DNA alternation.

Head and neck cancer is a group of cancers originated from the mouth, nose, throat, larynx, sinuses, or salivary glands.

According to the statistics provided by the Canadian Cancer Society, approximately 4,300 Canadians are diagnosed with cancer of the head and neck every year. Head and neck cancer also cause the death of nearly 1,610 of Canadian.

The overall survival rate of 5 years after diagnosis is 62% tobacco use, alcohol consumption and viral infection including human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (for oropharyngeal cancer), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection (for nasopharyngeal cancer).

Some researchers suggested that diet pattern may have a strong impact on the onset of the disease.

Dr. Shu-Chun Chuang, the lead scientist wrote, "A dietary pattern score combining high fruit and vegetable intake and low red meat intake, was created. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the dietary items on the risk of HNC were estimated with a two-stage random effects logistic regression model".

And, "Higher dietary pattern scores, reflecting high fruit/vegetable and low red meat intake, were associated with reduced HNC risk (per score increment OR=0.90, 95% CI=0.84–0.97)".

In other words, if you are Western diet follower, you risk of head and neck cancer increased substantially compared to those who follow a traditional diet.

Most common symptoms of head and neck cancer are totally depending on the location of cancer including a lump or sore that does not heal, a sore throat that does not go away, trouble swallowing, or a change in the voice.

Lycopene is a phytochemical in the class of carotenoid, a natural pigment with no vitamin A activity found abundantly in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables, such as red carrots, watermelons, and papayas,

Tomatoes provide about 80% of the lycopene in the world diet. In plants, lycopene protects the host against excessive photodamage and perform various functions in photosynthesis.

In the urgency to find a potential compound for the treatment of head and neck cancer, researchers examined the lycopene overload and cytotoxic effects on HNSCC cells.

According to the cell analysis, lycopene at a dose of >10 µM for >24 h inhibited the growth of FaDu and Cal27 cells in a time‑ and dose‑dependent manner.

Furthermore, injection of lycopene not only provided the clearest increase in growth inhibition by cell apoptosis but also limited the cancer cell invasive activity at a dose of 25 µM.

More precisely, lycopene killed cancer cell by exhibiting the protein associated with cell death programming and apoptosis.

Dr. Ye M, the lead scientist after taking other factors into account wrote, " lycopene induced the upregulation of the pro‑apoptotic protein, B‑cell lymphoma‑associated X protein".

Taken altogether, lycopene may be considered supplements for the prevention and treatment of head and neck cancer, pending on the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

Intake of lycopene 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) Lycopene inhibits the cell proliferation and invasion of human head and necksquamous cell carcinoma by Ye M1, Wu Q1, Zhang M1, Huang J. (PubMed)
(2) Levels of fat-soluble micronutrients and 2,6-cyclolycopene-1,5-diol in head and neck cancer patients by Djuric Z1, Ronis DL, Fowler KE, Ren J, Duffy SA. (PubMed)
(3) Diet and the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer: A Pooled Analysis in the INHANCE Consortium by
Shu-Chun Chuang,1,2 Mazda Jenab,2 Julia E. Heck,3 Cristina Bosetti,4 Renato Talamini,5Keitaro Matsuo,6 Xavier Castellsague,7 Silvia Franceschi,2 Rolando Herrero,8Deborah M. Winn,9 Carlo La Vecchia,4,10 Hal Morgenstern,11 Zuo-Feng Zhang,3 Fabio Levi,12Luigino Dal Maso,5 Karl Kelsey,13 Michael D. McClean,14 Thomas Vaughan,15Philip Lazarus,16 Joshua Muscat,16 Heribert Ramroth,17 Chu Chen,15 Stephen M. Schwartz,15Jose Eluf-Neto,18 Richard B. Hayes,19 Mark Purdue,9 Stefania Boccia,20,21 Gabriella Cadoni,22David Zaridze,23 Sergio Koifman,24 Maria Paula Curado,2 Wolfgang Ahrens,25Simone Benhamou,26 Elena Matos,27 Pagona Lagiou,28 Neonilla Szeszenia-Dabrowska,29Andrew F. Olshan,30 Leticia Fernandez,31 Ana Menezes,32 Antonio Agudo,33Alexander W. Daudt,34 Franco Merletti,35 Gary J. Macfarlane,36 Kristina Kjaerheim,37Dana Mates,38 Ivana Holcatova,39 Stimson Schantz,40 Guo-Pei Yu,40 Lorenzo Simonato,41Hermann Brenner,42 Heiko Mueller,42 David I. Conway,43 Peter Thomson,44Eleonora Fabianova,45 Ariana Znaor,46 Peter Rudnai,47 Claire M. Healy,48 Gilles Ferro,2Paul Brennan,2 Paolo Boffetta,49,50 and Mia Hashibe. (PMC)

Phytochemical Alliin, A Natural and Potential Treatment of Colo-rectal Cancer

By Kyle J. Norton

Colorectal cancer is a medical condition caused by irregular cell growth that begins at the inner lining of the colon or rectum.

Most cases of colorectal cancers are diagnosed at the later stage due to the tendency of the slow-growing in nature. According to the statistics, only about 39% of patients are diagnosed at an early stage.

Some patients with polyps may not experience colon cancer 20 years later as the gradually enlarging polyps eventually penetrate the bowel wall.

At the advanced stage, primary colon cancer is found to induce secondary metastasis in the liver, lungs, brain, peritoneum through blood and fluid circulation.

According to the statistics provided by the American Cancer Society, in 2019, approximately,
101,420 new cases of colon cancer and 44,180 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in the US. Colorectal cancer also will cause the death of 51,020 Americans.

The lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is1 in 22 (4.49%) for men compared to 1 in 24 (4.15%) for women.

The 5-year survival rate of colorectal cancer diagnosed at the localized stage is 90%. However, if cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or organ or the regional lymph nodes, the 5-year survival rate is 71%.

Out of many factors associated with colorectal cancer risk, some researchers suggested that the prevalence of obesity associated with the promotion of high-fat diet may be the major culprit that causes the rise of colon cancer in the US.

Dr. O'Neill AM, the lead scientist said, "The increasing worldwide incidence of colon cancer has been linked to the spread of the Western lifestyle and in particular consumption of a high-fat Western diet. In this study, our objectives were to establish mouse models to examine the effects of high-fat Western diet-induced obesity on the growth of human colon cancer tumor xenografts, and to examine potential mechanisms driving obesity-linked human colon cancer tumor growth".
And, "human colon cancer growth is accelerated in animals that are obese and insulin resistant due to the consumption of an HFWD".

Alliin (S-allyl-L-cysteine-S-oxide) is a phytochemical compound sulfoxide,. a derivative of the amino acid cysteine, belongings to the class of sulfur compounds, found abundantly in fresh garlic and onion.

In the urgency to find a natural compound for the treatment of colorectal cancer, researchers examined the anti-cancer activity on s-allyl-l-cysteine-sulfoxide (SACS)/alliin.

According to the tested assays, SACS showed higher affinity towards epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

In other words, SACS inhibited the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). associated with facilitating cancer cell growth and proliferation.

In order to reveal more information about alliin colonic protective effects, researchers compared protective efficiency of three garlic powders with increased levels of alliin, obtained from bulbs grown in soils with different levels of sulfur fertilization, against DNA damage.

According to the comet assay, garlic powders were administered to rats for 2 weeks (5% of the diet), DNA damage induced by 1,2-dimethylhydrazine in the colon were also decreased strongly by the three garlic powders.

Interestingly, these decreases were not correlated to the allicin content of the garlic powders.

These results suggested that all compound in the garlic including alliin worked synergistically to promote the efficacy of the whole food.

Sadly, feeding garlic powders protected the colon cell against DNA damage but did not modify the genotoxic activity of the direct-acting carcinogen methylnitrosourea in the colon.

Taken altogether, alliin may be considered supplements for the prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer with no side effect, responding to the confirmation of the larger sample size and multicenter human study.

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

Sources
(1) EGFR gene regulation in colorectal cancer cells by garlic phytocompounds with special emphasis on S-Allyl-L-Cysteine Sulfoxide by Roy N1, Nazeem PA2, Babu TD3, Abida PS2, Narayanankutty A3, Valsalan R2, Valsala PA2, Raghavamenon AC. (PubMed)
(2) Inhibition of carcinogen-induced DNA damage in rat liver and colon by garlic powders with varying alliin content by Singh V1, Belloir C, Siess MH, Le Bon AM. (PubMed)
(3) High-fat Western diet-induced obesity contributes to increased tumor growth in mouse models of human colon cancer by O'Neill AM1, Burrington CM2, Gillaspie EA3, Lynch DT2, Horsman MJ2, Greene MW. (PubMed)