Ellagic Acid Provides Protection From Cancer Causing Chemicals

A natural compound found in high amounts in the leaves and seeds of raspberries, strawberries, pomegrantes and other plant foods, is being hailed as a potential breakthrough in the area of cancer prevention. Its called ellagic acid and it provides plants with the natural defences they need to ward off harmful chemicals in the environment and infectious bugs.

Now, after years of intensive research, scientists have reported that ellagic acid is a powerful antioxidant that is able to bind to cancer-causing chemicals and neutralise them, thereby rendering them harmless (Ref. 1).

On the back of this exciting new research, HSI is delighted to bring you this report and announce that ellagic acid is now available to take as a nutritional supplement.

Effective against numerous cancer-causing chemicals

In a recent animal study, American researchers from the College of Pharmacy, University of Toledo, Ohio, discovered that ellagic acid together with another potent antioxidant, vitamin E, is able to protect against a rather ominous-sounding cancer-causing chemical called tetrachlorodibenzo-dioxin.

In the study, a group of rats infected with this chemical were divided in two with half of the rats receiving ellagic acid and vitamin E and the other half remaining untreated. The scientists found that the animals treated with ellagic acid and vitamin E produced much higher concentrations of protective antioxidant enzymes in their bodies, which are able to inhibit tetrachlorodibenzo-dioxin (Ref. 2).

Cancer is an extremely complex disease and there are literally thousands of different chemicals, including tetrachlorodibenzo-dioxin, involved in its development. Another one is casein kinase 2 (CK2). This is found in many tissues in your body and ordinarily doesn't pose a threat. It is only if it becomes activated that it increases your chances of cancer developing. The good news is that ellagic acid has been found to completely block the action of CK2 even when it has already been activated.

Commenting on this finding, Italian researchers from the Molecular Modeling Section, Padua University, who conducted the research, said: We have identified that ellagic acid, a naturally occurring tannic acid derivative, is a novel potent CK2 inhibitor. At present, ellagic acid represents the most potent known CK2 inhibitor (Ref. 3).

Encourages the death of cancerous cells while leaving healthy cells intact

Another way ellagic acid helps ward off cancer is by encouraging a natural process called apoptosis (natural cell death). Healthy cells have a normal life cycle of approximately 120 days before they die. Your body then replaces these dying cells with healthy cells. Conversely, cancer cells do not die and multiply instead.

Studies have found that ellagic acid forces cancerous cells to go through the normal apoptosis process without damaging healthy cells (Ref. 4). This is in contrast to many conventional cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, which cause the death of cancer cells and healthy cells indiscriminately, which can have a detrimental effect on the immune system.

Ellagic acids health-giving benefits dont end there

While the majority of research carried out on ellagic acid has focused on its cancer-fighting abilities, recent studies are revealing additional health benefits.

For example, scientists believe that it may help slow down the process of skin ageing. One way it is able to do this is by maintaining the elasticity of the skin by inhibiting the breakdown of skin fibres that naturally occurs with age (Ref. 5).

In addition, the compound holds promise for women going through the menopause and could prove to be an effective alternative to HRT, as it is able to regulate levels of the hormone oestrogen declining levels of which cause distressing symptoms such as hot flushes, vaginal dryness, and a reduced sex drive (Ref. 6).

What to take for best results

The recommended dosage for ellagic acid (derived from concentrated red raspberry seed extract) is 1gram tablet taken four times a day. This provides the equivalent of one cupful of fresh red raspberries a day (40mg of pure ellagic acid).

It is important to be aware that ellagic acid supplements are intended to be used as a preventative against cancer and not as a treatment for the disease (Ref. 7). As yet its ability to treat established cancer remains unproven. The good news is that research in this area is currently underway and HSI promises to keep you fully updated on developments as they happen.

Because ellagic acid has such incredible potential as an anti-cancer agent, scientists are currently looking into ways of making it available to take so that it is even more effective. The latest research confirms that it may be possible to deliver it using nanoparticles extremely small capsules containing active, concentrated ellagic acid. Once inside the body, nanoparticles are able to target your tissues much more effectively than ordinary tablets (Ref. 8). Unfortunately these nanoparticles are not commercially available as yet, but again well keep you posted on developments in this area.

References:

1. Kresty LA, Morse MA, Morgan C, Carlton PS, Lu J, Gupta A, Blackwood M, Stoner GD. Chemoprevention of esophageal tumorigenesis by dietary administration of lyophilized black raspberries. Cancer Res. 2001;61(16):6112-6119.
2. Hassoun EA, Vodhanel J, Holden B, Abushaban A.The effects of ellagic acid and vitamin E succinate on antioxidant enzymes activities and glutathione levels in different brain regions of rats after subchronic exposure to TCDD. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2006;69(5):381-93.
3. Cozza G, Bonvini P, Zorzi E, et al. Identification of ellagic acid as potent inhibitor of protein kinase CK2: a successful example of a virtual screening application. Med Chem. 2006 Apr 20;49(8):2363-6.
4. Adams LS, Seeram NP, Aggarwal BB, Takada Y, Sand D, Heber D. Pomegranate juice, total pomegranate ellagitannins, and punicalagin suppress inflammatory cell signaling in colon cancer cells. 1: J Agric Food Chem. 2006;54(3):980-5.
5. Jimenez F. et al. Ellagic and Tannic Acids Protect Newly Synthesized Elastic Fibers from Premature Enzymatic Degradation in Dermal Fibroblast Cultures. 1: J Invest Dermatol. 2006 Apr 6;Epub ahead of print.
6. Larrosa M. et al. Urolithins, ellagic acid-derived metabolites produced by human colonic microflora, exhibit estrogenic and antiestrogenic activities. J Agric Food Chem. 2006;54(5):1611-20.
7. Falsaperla M. et al. Support ellagic acid therapy in patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) on standard chemotherapy. Eur Urol. 2005; 47(4):449-454.
8. Bala I, Bhardwaj V, et al. Sustained release nanoparticulate formulation containing antioxidant-ellagic acid as potential prophylaxis system for oral administration. J Drug Target. 2006;14(1):27-34.