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***maturidi*** · 10 January 2013, 20:33

Brazilian berry destroys cancer cells in lab, UF study shows

Filed under Agriculture, Health, Research, Sciences on Thursday, January 12, 2006.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A Brazilian berry popular in health food contains antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study, one of the first to investigate the fruit’s purported benefits.Published today in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH’-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.“Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” Talcott said. “This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries.”He cautioned that the study, funded by UF sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.“This was only a cell-culture model and we don’t want to give anyone false hope,” Talcott said. “We are encouraged by the findings, however. Compounds that show good activity against cancer cells in a model system are most likely to have beneficial effects in our bodies.”Other fruits, including grapes, guavas and mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies, he said. Experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants’ chemical activity.Another UF study, slated to conclude in 2006, will investigate the effects of acai’s antioxidants on healthy human subjects, Talcott said. The study will determine how well the compounds are absorbed into the blood, and how they may affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels and related health indicators. So far, only fundamental research has been done on acai berries, which contain at least 50 to 75 as-yet unidentified compounds.“One reason so little is known about acai berries is that they’re perishable and are traditionally used immediately after picking,” he said. “Products made with processed acai berries have only been available for about five years, so researchers in many parts of the world have had little or no opportunity to study them.”Talcott said UF is one of the first institutions outside Brazil with personnel studying acai berries. Besides Talcott, UF’s acai research team includes Susan Percival, a professor with the food science and human nutrition department, David Del Pozo-Insfran, a doctoral student with the department and Susanne Mertens-Talcott, a postdoctoral associate with the pharmaceutics departmentof UF’s College of Pharmacy.Acai berries are produced by a palm tree known scientifically as Euterpe oleracea, common in floodplain areas of the Amazon River, Talcott said. When ripe, the berries are dark purple and about the size of a blueberry. They contain a thin layer of edible pulp surrounding a large seed.Historically, Brazilians have used acai berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, he said. Current marketing efforts by retail merchants and Internet businesses suggest acai products can help consumers lose weight, lower cholesterol and gain energy.“A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven’t been tested scientifically,” Talcott said. “We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects.”In the current UF study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.Four of the extracts were shown to kill significant numbers of leukemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.The UF study demonstrates that research on foods not commonly consumed in the United States is important, because it may lead to unexpected discoveries, said Joshua Bomser, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition and functional foods at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.But familiar produce items have plenty of health-giving qualities, he said.“Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer,” said Bomser, who researches the effects of diet on chronic diseases. “Getting at least five servings a day of these items is still a good recommendation for promoting optimal health.”

University of Florida News – Brazilian berry destroys cancer cells in lab, UF study shows

***maturidi*** · 10 January 2013, 20:35

Antioxidant capacity and other bioactivities of the freeze-dried Amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae mart. (acai).

Schauss AG, Wu X, Prior RL, Ou B, Huang D, Owens J, Agarwal A, Jensen GS, Hart AN, Shanbrom E.
Source

Natural and Medicinal Products Research, AIMBR Life Sciences, 4117 South Meridian, Puyallup, Washington 98373, USA. alex@aibmr.com

Abstract

The fruit of Euterpe oleraceae, commonly known as acai, has been demonstrated to exhibit significantly high antioxidant capacity in vitro, especially for superoxide and peroxyl scavenging, and, therefore, may have possible health benefits. In this study, the antioxidant capacities of freeze-dried acai fruit pulp/skin powder (OptiAcai) were evaluated by different assays with various free radical sources. It was found to have exceptional activity against superoxide in the superoxide scavenging (SOD) assay, the highest of any food reported to date against the peroxyl radical as measured by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay with fluorescein as the fluorescent probe (ORACFL), and mild activity against both the peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radical by the peroxynitrite averting capacity (NORAC) and hydroxyl radical averting capacity (HORAC) assays, respectively. The SOD of acai was 1614 units/g, an extremely high scavenging capacity for O2*-, by far the highest of any fruit or vegetable tested to date. Total phenolics were also tested as comparison. In the total antioxidant (TAO) assay, antioxidants in acai were differentiated into "slow-acting" and "fast-acting" components. An assay measuring inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in freshly purified human neutrophils showed that antioxidants in acai are able to enter human cells in a fully functional form and to perform an oxygen quenching function at very low doses. Furthermore, other bioactivities related to anti-inflammation and immune functions were also investigated. Acai was found to be a potential cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 inhibitor. It also showed a weak effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide but no effect on either lymphocyte proliferation and phagocytic capacity.

Antioxidant capacity and other bioactiviti... [J Agric Food Chem. 2006] - PubMed - NCBI

***maturidi*** · 10 January 2013, 20:37

Brazilian Acai Berry Antioxidants Absorbed By Human Body, Research Shows

A Brazilian palm berry sweeping the globe as a popular health food - though little research has been done on it – now may have its purported benefits better understood.
In the first research involving people, the acai (ah-sigh-EE) berry has proven its ability to be absorbed in the human body when consumed both as juice and pulp. That finding, by a team of Texas AgriLife Research scientists, was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Showing the berry’s absorption in humans is important because it is known to contain numerous antioxidants. The berry is heavily marketed in the U.S. as a health food.The study involved 12 healthy volunteers who consumed a single serving of acai juice or pulp. Researchers believe the results point to the need for continued research on the berry which is commonly used in juices, beverages, smoothies, frozen treats and dietary supplements."Acai is naturally low in sugar, and the flavor is described as a mixture of red wine and chocolate,” said lead investigator Dr. Susanne Talcott, “so what more would you want from a fruit?”Talcott, who also is assistant professor with the Texas A&M University’s nutrition and food science department, said that previous studies have shown the ability of the human body to absorb target antioxidants (from other produce), but “no one had really tested to see if acai antioxidants are absorbed in humans."Sales of acai products have increased dramatically in the U.S. where it has been touted as a metabolism booster, weight reducer and athletic enhancer. Advertisements use buzzwords such as health, wellness, energy, taste and organic.About the only buzzword not used with acai is "local." The berries are harvested in the Brazilian rainforest from acai palms that may reach heights in excess of 60 feet - one of the same palms used to harvest edible hearts of palm.The fruit is about the size of a large blueberry yet only the outermost layers of the fruit, the pulp surrounding a large internal seed, are edible, Talcott noted.Talcott and her co-researcher and husband Dr. Steve Talcott began studying the palm- berry in 2001. His first scientific report on acai, apparently the first such study in English, was published in 2004.Initially, their studies on the berry examined antioxidant and nutritional components in pulp and juice. Later studies showed the berry’s activity against cancer cells, Talcott noted.With that background, the researchers then decided to find out whether those elements were actually being absorbed into the human body or being eliminated unused as waste."Like vitamin C, the body can only absorb so much at a time," Steve Talcott explained.He said the researchers now “need to determine potential disease-fighting health benefits, so we can make intelligent recommendations on how much acai should be consumed.For the clinical trial, people were given acai pulp and acai juice containing half the concentration of anthocyanins as the pulp and each compared to the control foods: applesauce and a non-antioxidant beverage.Blood and urine samples at 12 and 24 hours after consumption showed significant increases in antioxidant activity in the blood after both the acai pulp and applesauce consumption, she said. Both acai pulp and acai juice showed significant absorption of antioxidant anthocyanins into the blood and antioxidant effects. The research couple said future studies hopefully will help determine whether the consumption of acai will result in any disease-preventing health benefit and the proper serving sizes for a beneficial dose for people."Our concern has been that it is sold as a super food – and it definitely has some good attributes – but it is not a solution to all diseases,” she said. “There are a great number of foods on the market, and this could just be part of a well-balanced diet."

Brazilian Acai Berry Antioxidants Absorbed By Human Body, Research Shows

***maturidi*** · 10 January 2013, 20:38

Acai Counteracts Oxidative Stress, Lengthens Lifespan in Fruit Flies

Aug. 21, 2012 — Bewildered by the array of antioxidant fruit juices on display in the supermarket and the promises they make? To sort out the antioxidant properties of fruits and berries, scientists at Emory University School of Medicine turned to fruit flies for help.

They found that a commercially available acai berry product can lengthen the lives of fruit flies, when the flies' lives are made short through additional oxidative stress. Under certain conditions (a simple sugar diet) acai supplementation could triple flies' lifespans, from eight to 24 days. Acai could also counteract the neurotoxic effects of the herbicide paraquat on the flies.The results were recently published by the journal Experimental Gerontology, which awarded the paper its inaugural "Outstanding paper" prize. The lead author is Alysia Vrailas-Mortimer, a postdoctoral fellow in Emory University School of Medicine's Department of Cell Biology.Vrailas-Mortimer says she didn't start out focusing on acai. But acai worked better than several other antioxidant products such as vitamins, coenzyme Q10 and lutein."One thing that makes our work distinctive is that we tried commercially available supplements," she says. "We went to a health food store and filled up a basket."She says she began the project with the help of undergraduate student Rosy Gomez, and narrowed her focus after initial success with acai. Vrailas-Mortimer took advantage of a discovery she had made working with Subhabrata Sanyal, assistant professor of cell biology, PhD. They had previously found that flies with mutations in the "p38 MAP kinase" gene have shorter lives and are more sensitive to heat, food deprivation and oxidative stress.P38 mutant flies lived an average of only eight days when they were given a simple sugar water diet. However, their lifespans tripled when their diet was supplemented with acai. Ginger was used as a control for the diet supplements.Acai also protected normal flies against oxidative stress, in the form of hydrogen peroxide or paraquat. Acai can protect against oxidative stress when flies are exposed to hydrogen peroxide before being given acai, but the protective effect does not hold up if the order is reversed.Paraquat is an herbicide that has neurotoxic effects that resemble Parkinson's disease. Under the influence of paraquat, flies' sleep-wake cycles gradually become chaotic (see graph). Acai can also help soften the effects of paraquat on flies' circadian rhythms."I think this is important," Vrailas-Mortimer says. "We show that whatever is in acai that is lengthening lifespan, it can also keep the flies functioning better for longer when faced with paraquat exposure. It is maintaining quality of life rather than just preventing them from dying."When flies were fed a more enriched diet of a standard cornmeal/molasses mush, the effects of supplementation with acai were more pronounced in males than in females. Males' lifespans were almost doubled with acai (20 to 40 days) but the effects on females were not as strong (30 to 34 days). On an enriched diet, male flies were more sensitive to paraquat than females as well.Implications for human clinical trials of antioxidantsLarge clinical trials studying the effects of antioxidants such as vitamin C and E have not shown clear benefits on human health. Using fruit flies under oxidative stress as a model can be a way to dissect which components of acai are beneficial. Probing the effects on flies' circadian rhythms can be a way to quickly screen several compounds or regimens, since the effects are apparent even before most of the flies die.Acai berries contain a variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, such as anthocyanins. Sanyal says it may be better to study the components of acai together rather than in isolation."There may be a combinatorial effect, and if you separate the components from each other, you may lose the active principle," he says. "In addition, it seems to me that anti-oxidant therapy will not work after the damage has been done. So human clinical trials that don't take this into account are likely to have disappointing results."The research was supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (T32-ES012870) and Emory University.

***maturidi*** · 10 January 2013, 20:44

Comparison of antioxidant potency of commonly consumed polyphenol-rich beverages in the United States.

Seeram NP, Aviram M, Zhang Y, Henning SM, Feng L, Dreher M, Heber D.
Source

Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.

Abstract

A number of different beverage products claim to have antioxidant potency due to their perceived high content of polyphenols. Basic and applied research indicates that pomegranate juice (PJ), produced from the Wonderful variety of Punica granatum fruits, has strong antioxidant activity and related health benefits. Although consumers are familiar with the concept of free radicals and antioxidants, they are often misled by claims of superior antioxidant activity of different beverages, which are usually based only on testing of a limited spectrum of antioxidant activities. There is no available direct comparison of PJ's antioxidant activity to those of other widely available polyphenol-rich beverage products using a comprehensive variety of antioxidant tests. The present study applied (1) four tests of antioxidant potency [Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), total oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), free radical scavenging capacity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)]; (2) a test of antioxidant functionality, that is, inhibition of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation by peroxides and malondialdehyde methods; and (3) evaluation of the total polyphenol content [by gallic acid equivalents (GAEs)] of polyphenol-rich beverages in the marketplace. The beverages included several different brands as follows: apple juice (3), açaÃ* juice (3), black cherry juice (3), blueberry juice (3), cranberry juice (3), Concord grape juice (3), orange juice (3), red wines (3), iced tea beverages (10) [black tea (3), green tea (4), white tea (3)], and a major PJ available in the U.S. market. An overall antioxidant potency composite index was calculated by assigning each test equal weight. PJ had the greatest antioxidant potency composite index among the beverages tested and was at least 20% greater than any of the other beverages tested. Antioxidant potency, ability to inhibit LDL oxidation, and total polyphenol content were consistent in classifying the antioxidant capacity of the polyphenol-rich beverages in the following order: PJ>red wine>Concord grape juice>blueberry juice>black cherry juice, açaÃ* juice, cranberry juice>orange juice, iced tea beverages, apple juice. Although in vitro antioxidant potency does not prove in vivo biological activity, there is also consistent clinical evidence of antioxidant potency for the most potent beverages including both PJ and red wine.
Comparison of antioxidant potency of commo... [J Agric Food Chem. 2008] - PubMed - NCBI

***maturidi*** · 11 January 2013, 09:44

Acai üzümü faydaları (Euterpe oleracea)

4 parçalık Acaideki antioksidan kapasitesi veya ORTAK degerinin 6576 oldugunu biliyormusunuz? Bu çay üzümü çilek Toplamından fazladır. Neden bunu yemeliyiz ?
Bu 4 parçalık acai üzümünde 100 kalori ve altı gram yağ içeriyor. Ama enfeksiyon giderici omega-9 yağı açısından zengindir ve çok az şeker icerir. acai önemli yağ asitlerini içinde barındıran bir meyvedir. Demir, kalsiyum ,lif A vitamini ve daha bir çok antioksidan iceriyor.
Sağlık için acai meyvesinin işe yaradıgı bir cok uzman doktor tarafından kabul edilmiştir. Ayrıca acai üzümü kolestrolü düşürdüğü iyi huylu prostatik büyümeyle (şişmiş prostat ) alakalı bulguları tedavi ettiği bağışıklık sistemini fiziksel stresten korumaya yardım ettiği bilinen bir bitki bileşeni olan strelü içeriyor.
Yararları
Cinsel performans : Guarana şurubuyla karıştırılmış acai brezilya’da popüler bir içecektir.Ve uzman doktorlar tarafından cinsel performansını yükselttiğini açıklanmıstır.
Kanser: Florida üniversitesinde araştırmacıların bir deney tüpünden faydanalarak yaptıgı deneyde acai üzümünün içinde hücre üremesini büyük ölçüde azaltan ve apoptosisi arttıran
(proglanmış hücre ölümü ) güçlü bir antioksidan keşfettiler
Malzemeler
2100 Gram acai üzümü
1 organik muz
1 Çay kaşığı organik bal
120 ml organik elma suyu
Hazırlanışı bütün malzemeleri koyulaşıncaya kadar mikserde karıştırın Güzel tatvermesi için üstüne myveli tahıl gevreği ve içine koydugunuza ek olarak bal koyun.
Besin Değerleri : Kalori 190: Toplam yağ :5gr Doymuş yağ oranı 1 gr : kolestrol 0mg :Sodyum :10mg toplam karbonhidrat 44gr :lif 2gr:şeker :34 gr

rotein 3gr.

***maturidi*** · 11 January 2013, 09:49

Acai/Acai/ Euterpe oleracea

The açai palm, (known by the people as “ica-cai”, which means “fruit that cries”) Euterpe oleracea is a species of palm tree in the genus Euterpe cultivated for their fruit and superior hearts of palm. The history of the Acai tree is rooted deep into the Amazon culture. Indeed, it has been used for thousands of years. It has only been introduced in America in the 1990s. The tribes in the Amazon first used the berry to help prevent health problems and deficiencies, due to its highly nutritious and antioxidant properties. It usually grows in the wild Amazonian jungles in Brazil, where it is harvested by natives who have been reaping its health benefits for generations now. Acai also contains plant sterols, fiber, amino acids, various vitamins and minerals, and polyphenols. Studies show that acai berries have a higher antioxidant capacity than do other berries, such blackberries, and blueberries. According to the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) values, which is a measure of antioxidant power developed by the National Institute on Aging in the National Institutes of Health, acai fruit pulp/skin powder has the highest ORAC value (102,700) of any fruit or vegetable.
Acai palms are tall, slender palms growing to 15-30 meters, with pinnate leaves up to 3 meters long. These palms produces small purple flowers that grow in clusters. Male and female flowers are born on the same inflorescence. Flowers are followed by green fruits that grow in bunches. It takes Acai Palm Tree 4-5 years before producing fruit. The fruit, a small, round, black-purple drupe is about 1 inch in circumference, similar in appearance but smaller than a grape and with less pulp, is produced in branched panicles of 500 to 900 fruits. Acai juice is said to have between 10 and 30 times more antioxidants than grapes, pomegranates, and even blueberries. Because of the extensive vitamins, amino acids, minerals, Omega acids, and other properties, the Acai very is said to be one of the most nutritionally dense berries on the planet.

It’s known the fresh Acai berry perishes inside a day or so from being picked, making fresh acai hard to transport over any great distances. This is going to be the reason why you don’t see fresh acai stocked on the shelf right next to the blue berries. It is usually mixed with energy drinks, ice cream, and even energy bars. Coca-Cola has entered into a distribution agreement with Los Angeles-based Bossa Nova brand acai juices, and Anheuser-Busch adds the fruit to its new energy drink, 180 Blue. Although acai berries have been touted as a product helpful in weight loss, no studies have currently been done showing that they actually work in such a manner. Certainly a diet rich in antioxidants and healthful fruits along with exercise has been shown effective in weight management. The Acai berry is delicate and perishable. It actually comes to the United States by way of a puree that is typically made into a smoothie or juice cocktail. In addition to enjoying Acai as a smoothie, it also packs a punch as a great way to start your day or even as a pick-me-up in the afternoon when it is served in a bowl and topped with granola and sliced banana.

Mixed Berry-Acai Smoothie
*dishingupdelights*
(By Esi)
Makes 1 smoothie
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
1/4 cup Bossa Nova Acai juice with blueberry
1/2 banana, sliced
1 teaspoon flax meal (optional)
1/2 teaspoon agave or to taste
Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth.
Acai Popsicles
*noshings*
Make 4 pops
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups Acai berries
½ to 1 cup of water
¼ cup honey, or sugar
Instructions
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, starting with 1/2 cup of water and adding more if needed. Puree the Acais until smooth. Pour into molds , leaving a 1-inch space at the top. Freeze for at least 6 hours. To release, run Popsicle molds under cool water for a few seconds, then gently pull.

Duyuru

Acai, Acai Berry, Acai Üzümü, Euterpe oleracea

Acai, Acai Berry, Acai Üzümü, Euterpe oleracea

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