GRAVIOLA

According to the latest published information Graviola has been researched in laboratory tests since the 1970s, where it's been shown to:

• Effectively target and kill malignant cells in 12 different types of cancer, including Colon, Breast, Prostrate, Lung and Pancreatic Cancer.
• Be 10,000 times stronger in killing colon cancer cells than Adriamycin (a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug).
• Selectively hunt down and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells, unlike chemotherapy.

Graviola is a small, upright evergreen tree growing 5 to 6 meters in height with large dark green and glossy leaves. It is indigenous to most of the warmest tropical areas in South and North America including the Amazon. It produces a large heart-shaped edible fruit that is 6-9", yellow green in color, with white flesh. The fruit is sold in local markets in the tropics where it is called Guanabana or Brazilian Cherimoya and is excellent for making drinks and sherbets and, though slightly sour-acid, can be eaten out-of-hand.

In an 1976 plant screening program by the National Cancer Institute, the leaves and stem of Graviola showed active cytotoxicity against cancer cells and researchers have been following up on this research ever since.

Much of the research on Graviola focuses on a novel set of phytochemicals called annonaceous acetogenins.

The potent antitumor, pesticidal and/or insect antifeedant properties of these annonaceous acetogenins have been reported and patented. Graviola produces these natural compounds in leaf, bark and twig tissues, and they have be documented to possess both highly anti-tumor and pesticidal properties.

• Mode of action studies in three separate laboratories have recently determined that acetogenins are superb inhibitors of Complex I in mitochondrial electron transport systems from several organisms including tumors.
• Research on various Annona species of plants has yielded many extremely potent acetogenins. Many of them have cytotoxicity with ED50 values as low as 10-9 ug/ml.
• Active compounds from Graviola and other Annona plants have been submitted to the NIH anti-AIDS screen by Purdue University and their work is continuing with a number of other active plant species in the Annona plant family. Thus far, Purdue and/or it's staff have filed at least 9 U.S. and/or international patents on their work around the antitumorous and insecticidal properties and uses of these acetogenins.
• Three separate research groups have isolated novel compounds in the seeds and leaves of Graviola which have demonstrated significant anti-tumorous, anticancerous and selective toxicity against various types of cancer cells, publishing 8 clinical studies on their findings.
• One study demonstrated that an acetogenin in Graviola was selectively cytotoxic to colon adenocarcinoma cells in which it was 10,000 times the potency of adriamycin (a chemotherapy drug).
• Cancer research is ongoing on Graviola, and four new studies have been published in 1998 which further narrow down the specific phytochemicals which are demonstrating the strongest anticancerous and antiviral properties.

Annonaceous acetogenins are only found in the Annonaceae family. In general, various annonaceous acetogenins have been documented with antitumor, antiparasitic, pesticidal, antiprotozoal, antifeedant, anthelmintic, and antimicrobial activities. There has been much interest in the chemicals which have demonstrated potent antitumor properties and several research groups are trying to synthesize these chemicals for new chemotherapeutic drugs.

In a review of these natural chemicals in The Journal of Natural Products in 1999 they noted: "The Annonaceous acetogenins are promising new antitumor and pesticidal agents that are found only in the plant family Annonaceae. Chemically, they are derivatives of long-chain fatty acids. Biologically, they exhibit their potent bioactivities through depletion of ATP levels via inhibiting complex I of mitochondria and inhibiting the NADH oxidase of plasma membranes of tumor cells. Thus, they thwart ATP-driven resistance mechanisms."

Another review in the Skaggs Scientific Report 1997-1998 states, "Annonaceous acetogenins, particularly those with adjacent bis-tetrahydrofuran (THF) rings, have remarkable cytotoxic, antitumor, antimalarial, immunosuppressive, pesticidal, and antifeedant activities. Many of these fatty acid derivatives have similar carbon skeletons; their striking diversity originates mainly from the relative and absolute configuration of their various stereogenic oxygen functions."

>> NOTE: Each serving of Ellagic Insurance Formula contains 600mg of Graviola.