Medical research confirms eating red raspberries may be one of the most potent ways to fight cancer.
Dr. Daniel Nixon, Medical University of South Carolina

(JANUARY-1999) -- One of the most popular and flavorful fruits on the market now has an entirely new reason for becoming a part of a healthy diet. Recent medical tests have shown that the red raspberry is one of the most effective all-natural ways to fight certain forms of cancer.

Red raspberries have the highest content of ellagic acid, a phenolic compound that is a proven anti-carcinogen, anti-mutagen and anti-cancer initiator. Tests conducted at the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina have revealed that the human body readily absorbs the ellagic acid from red raspberries. This ellagic acid has been clinically shown to cause apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells.

Additional tests have revealed that the ellagic acid in red raspberries retains its potency after heating, freezing and concentration processing. So whether consumed fresh, in juices, fruit spreads, preserves or sorbets, the red raspberry should become a part of any healthy diet.

Expression and its possible role in G1 arrest and apoptosis in ellagic acid treated cancer cells.
Narayanan BA, Geoffroy O, Willingham MC, Re GG, Nixon DW

Cancer Prevention Program, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA. bhagavati@musc.edu Ellagic acid is a phenolic compound present in fruits and nuts including raspberries, strawberries and walnuts. It is known to inhibit certain carcinogen-induced cancers and may have other chemo preventive properties. The effects of ellagic acid on cell cycle events and apoptosis were studied in cervical carcinoma (CaSki) cells. We found that ellagic acid at a concentration of 10(-5) M induced G arrest within 48 h, inhibited overall cell growth and induced apoptosis in CaSki cells after 72 h of treatment. Activation of the cdk inhibitory protein p21 by ellagic acid suggests a role for ellagic acid in cell cycle regulation of cancer cells. PMID: 10355751

Polyphenols as cancer chemopreventive agents. Stoner GD, Mukhtar H

Department of Preventive Medicine, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, USA. This article summarizes available data on the chemo preventive efficacies of tea polyphenols, curcumin and ellagic acid in various model systems. Emphasis is placed upon the anticarcinogenic activity of these polyphenols and their proposed mechanism(s) of action. Tea is grown in about 30 countries and, next to water, is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Tea is manufactured as green, black, or oolong; black tea represents approximately 80% of tea products. Epidemiological studies, though inconclusive, suggest a protective effect of tea consumption on human cancer. Experimental studies of the antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic effects of tea have been conducted principally with green tea polyphenols (GTPs). GTPs exhibit antimutagenic activity in vitro, and they inhibit carcinogen-induced skin, lung, forestomach, esophagus, duodenum and colon tumors in rodents. In addition, GTPs inhibit TPA-induced skin tumor promotion in mice. Although several GTPs possess anticarcinogenic activity, the most active is (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major constituent in the GTP fraction. Several mechanisms appear to be responsible for the tumor-inhibitory properties of GTPs, including enhancement of antioxidant (glutathione peroxidase, catalase and quinone reductase) and phase II (glutathione-S-transferase) enzyme activities; inhibition of chemically induced lipid peroxidation; inhibition of irradiation- and TPA-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and cyclooxygenase activities; inhibition of protein kinase C and cellular proliferation; antiinflammatory activity; and enhancement of gap junction intercellular communication. Curcumin is the yellow coloring agent in the spice tumeric. It exhibits antimutagenic activity in the Ames Salmonella test and has anticarcinogenic activity, inhibiting chemically induced preneoplastic lesions in the breast and colon and neoplastic lesions in the skin, forestomach, duodenum and colon of rodents. In addition, curcumin inhibits TPA-induced skin tumor promotion in mice. The mechanisms for the anticarcinogenic effects of curcumin are similar to those of the GTPs. Curcumin enhances glutathione content and glutathione-S-transferase activity in liver; and it inhibits lipid peroxidation and arachidonic acid metabolism in mouse skin, protein kinase C activity in TPA-treated NIH 3T3 cells, chemically induced ODC and tyrosine protein kinase activities in rat colon, and 8-hydroxyguanosine formation in mouse fibroblasts. Ellagic acid is a polyphenol found abundantly in various fruits, nuts and vegetables. Ellagic acid is active in antimutagenesis assays, and has been shown to inhibit chemically induced cancer in the lung, liver, skin and esophagus of rodents, and TPA-induced tumor promotion in mouse skin. PMID: 8538195

Pulmonary carcinogenesis and its prevention by dietary polyphenolic compounds. Castonguay A

Laboratory of Cancer Etiology and Chemoprevention, School of Pharmacy, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada. The aims of this study were to define the cumulative exposure of Canadian smokers to NNK and to characterize the efficacy of ellagic acid to inhibit lung tumorigenesis induced by NNK. The sales-weighted average of NNK deliveries from Canadian cigarettes was 73.2 ng/cigarette. NNK deliveries were highly correlated to declared tar values and were linear with puff volumes between 20 and 50 ml. Ellagic acid inhibited lung tumorigenesis induced by NNK in A/J mice. This inhibition was related to the logarithm of the dose of ellagic acid added to the diet. The biodistribution of ellagic acid was studied in mice gavaged with ellagic acid. Pulmonary levels of ellagic acid were directly proportional to the dose of ellagic acid between 0.2 and 2.0 mmol/kg b.w. PMID: 8512246

Protective effects of antioxidants on experimental liver injuries. Suzuki M, Kumazawa N, Ohta S, Kamogawa A, Shinoda M

Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan. Protective effects of 14 kinds of antioxidant on liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) were investigated in terms of serum enzyme activities and bilirubin concentration. Consequently, the significant protective effects were found in sesamol, ellagic acid, cysteamine and cysteine. These antioxidants clearly decreased the lipid peroxide in the liver tissue. The protective effects on CCl4-induced liver injury in vivo were independent of the inhibitory activities on lipid peroxidation in hepatic mitochondria fraction in vitro. PMID: 2262882

Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission, Nutraceutical Bulletin. Vol 3, Issue 1. May 1999

Ellagic acid - Ellagic acid has anticarcinogenic effects against a wide range of carcinogens in several tissues. Significant inhibition of colon, esophageal, liver, lung, tongue, and skin cancers have been shown in rats and mice by in vitro and in vivo mutagenicity and carcinogenicity investigations. Ellagic acid is a possible chemopreventative agent, also in human carcinogenesis.
Quercetin - Quercetin is the primary flavonol found in raspberries. It has been found to be a potent anticarcinogen against skin, colon and mammary cancers in rodents. Quercetin may also inhibit the induction and progression of human cancers.
Anthocyanins - Anthocyanins are flavonoids with antioxidant activity. The anthocyanin content ranges between 20 and 60 mg/100 g fruit. The types of anthocyanins present are primarily yaniding-3-glucoside, yaniding-3-sophoroside, yaniding-3-rutinoside, yaniding-3-glucosylrutinoside
Phenolics - Catechins, benzoic acid and cinnamic acid are phenolic acids present in raspberries.
Fiber - Raspberries are high in fiber (6.8 g/100 g), which has been shown to help reduce the risk of certain cancers.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Note: The information contained here is a summarized interpretation of historical and scientific data pertaining to nutrients and botanicals. It's purpose is to provide an overview and is not intended for use by pregnant or lactating women or people under a physician's care without first consulting a health care practitioner.