Turmeric Extract May Prevent, Even Reverse Diabetes (Type 1 And 2)

What if the long sought after “cure” for diabetes was as safe, affordable, and accessible as a spice sitting in your kitchen cupboard?

Leave your drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can cure the patient with food.”

-Hippocrates, 420 BC

Slowly but surely the world is waking up to the reality that diabetes is not only a preventable but a reversible condition, and that the drug-based model of symptom suppression and disease management has fatal flaws. For instance, some of the drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes actually increase the risk of death, with a recent study showing GMO insulin given to type 2 diabetics may lead to the development of so-called “double diabetes“: type 2 and type 1 diabetes, together. Clearly, if medicine can’t at least abide by its founding principle to “do no harm,” it must seek the answer somewhere other than from the “chemist’s pot.”

As the pharmaceutically-driven medical paradigm continues to lose adherents by the droves, and the public seeks a system that identifies and resolves the root causes of disease, interest is growing in the use of natural substances and lifestyle modifications to prevent and treat blood sugar disorders. And unlike a few decades ago, where most of the evidence for “natural healing” was anecdotal, there are now thousands of studies on hundreds of natural substances and therapeutic activities that may ameliorate blood sugar disorders and their complications. You can check out a good portion of the relevant research on the topic on GreenMedInfo.com’s blood sugar disorder database.

While plants like cinnamon and gymnema sylvestre have received plenty of attention for diabetes over the years, one special plant extract that is beginning to stand out from the crowd as being exceptionally valuable as an anti-diabetic agent is turmeric. There are, in fact, 21 articles on turmeric’s value in type 2 diabetes on our database alone.

Turmeric’s primary polyphenol curcumin is the main compound in the plant that has been researched for it’s blood sugar regulating properties. One particularly striking study, published in the American Diabetic Association’s own journal, Diabetes Care, found turmeric extract to be 100% effective in preventing pre-diabetics from developing type 2 diabetes — a feat of prevention that no FDA approved drug for type 2 diabetes has yet come even close to accomplishing.

Turmeric Extract May Reverse Pancreatic Damage In Type 1 Diabetes

It turns out that this spice may be a powerful therapeutic intervention for more than just type 2 diabetics. Pre-clinical research now reveals it may have a role in reversing pancreatic damage in insulin-dependent, type 1 diabetics, who are routinely told that their condition can not be cured. Type 1 diabetics are rarely educated to the fact that the root cause of their disorder can be addressed: namely, that the deficiency and/or dysfunction of the beta cells in the pancreas responsible for producing insulin can be repaired, as well as the autoimmune issues at the heart of the problem.

Back in 2013, an exciting study published in the journal Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome titled, “The effect of a novel curcumin derivative on pancreatic islet regeneration in experimental type-1 diabetes in rats (long term study),” found that diabetic rats who received a novel water-soluble, high concentrate (53.21%) curcumin derivative orally for 40 days showed an improvement of their plasma glucose, insulin and C-peptide (a marker for the health and insulin producing capability of the beta cells) levels, that began after about 4 months, and continued to improve until the 10 month mark, when their values were almost completely normalized and evidence of significant pancreatic regeneration could be observed. The researchers concluded the novel curcumin derivative (NCD): “…possesses antidiabetic actions and enhanced pancreatic islets regeneration.”

The daily dose used in this rodent study (80 mg/kg) was the body weight equivalent of 6,400 mg or 6.4 grams of curcumin for an average North American male adult (80 kilograms/176 lbs). Rodent and human physiology is, of course, radically different, but significant crossovers nonetheless do exist. In another article, titled “Why Turmeric May Be the Diseased Liver’s Best Friend,” we reviewed research indicating that turmeric may help to reverse damage in and even regenerate the diabetic liver, as well as safety literature on what is a safe human dose:

A 2001 study in cancer patients reported that quantities of curcumin up to 8 g, administered per day for three months, were not toxic and resulted in significant anti-cancer properties in a number of those treated.[5] Considering that turmeric is only 3-4% curcumin by weight, this implies that a larger quantity of turmeric can be consumed safely, as well.

Given that organ transplantation (pancreatic islet transplants) is exceedingly expensive and prohibitive due to a lack of donor material and the potential for rejection by the host, the notion that a safe, affordable, and non-prescription spice extract like curcumin may have significant therapeutic value and may even regenerate damaged pancreatic tissue, is truly exciting. That said, it should be noted that since curcumin is not patentable, it is unlikely the 800 million dollars or more needed to fund the requisite clinical trials needed to obtain FDA drug approval will materialize. Because the so-called “evidence” needed to justify the use of a new treatment is locked behind an insurmountably high paywall, don’t count on randomized, controlled, trials being performed on this “natural cure” in the near or distant future.

In this study, the authors surmised that the ameliorative effects curcumin treatment on type 1 diabetic rodents observed were the result of beta cell regeneration and they explained the theory behind how this works:

Each tissue or organ is believed to contain a small sub-population of cells that is capable of self-renewal and has the ability to give rise to each mature cell type [47]. Thus, one of the most promising sources of beta cells might be pancreatic stem cells.

The researchers theorized that curcumin likely produces,

“…a favorable systemic and pancreatic environment to foster bone marrow transplantation and islet neogenesis. Accordingly, administration of curcumin; as an established anti-inflammatory and immune modulatory drug; would likely boost and preserve the process of islet regeneration; which was evidently proven true in this study.”

Curcumin’s “immunomodulatory” benefit in type 1 diabetes, also known as autoimmune diabetes, appears to be based on it reducing the activity of the host immune system in attacking self-structures. In fact, another recent study, published in 2014 in the journal Clinical and Experimental Immunology titled, “Curcumin ameliorates autoimmune diabetes. Evidence in accelerated murine models of type 1 diabetes,” found that curcumin down-regulates the T cell response that destroys pancreatic beta cells, resulting in an improvement in autoimmune or type 1 diabetes.

It is important for the reader to know that curcumin is not a magic bullet; nor is it the only natural substance studied to have potential beta cell regenerative properties. Indeed, pancreatic regeneration has been induced experimentally for at least 23 different natural substances. We have a keyword dedicated to indexing relevant research on the topic here: beta cell regeneration. We’ve highlighted 10 of the most compelling ones in our article, “10 Natuaral Substances That Could Help Reverse Diabetes.”

As the research continues to accumulate on the value of natural substances for disease prevention and treatment, it is clear the future of medicine will rely on returning to the wisdom of the ancients, where Hippocrates’ fundamental principle that one can “cure the patient with food” is once again passionately embraced.

 

© February 5, 2018 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

The post Turmeric Extract May Prevent, Even Reverse Diabetes (Type 1 And 2) appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Is The Cure For Diabetes A Humble Root?

Billions are spent annually and still there is no conventional cure for diabetes. Or is there a cheap, safe and freely available solution already growing beneath our feet?  

Diabetes is a very big business, representing tens of billion of dollars in pharmaceutical drug sales annually. Tragically, while the number of diabetes diagnoses continue to expand globally the drugs themselves, including recombinant (GMO produced) insulin, appear to actually increase mortality. Upton Sinclair nailed the problem on its head when he stated:

It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

In other words, the resistance within the conventional medical system against finding both the causes and the cures for the diabetes epidemic is institutional, economically-motivated, and fundamentally unethical.

This happens to be why GreenMedInfo.com continues to enjoy expanding popularity around the world. There is no shortage of research on natural solutions to both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but with the mainstream media’s primary funding coming from Big Pharma, the storylines either completely ignore or are pitted against the natural solutions we regularly report on. Back in 2014, for instance, we reported on a truly groundbreaking finding published in the American Diabetes Association’s very own journal, Diabetes Care, which found a turmeric extract (curcumin) was 100% effective in preventing the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes (type 2).

Obviously, turmeric possesses a wide range of side benefits, making this finding all the more promising for those under conventional care. Clearly, if these spectacular results had been obtained through an FDA approved drug instead of a plant that grows freely, it would have made global headlines as one of the greatest achievements of modern pharmaceutical medicine history.

Fortunately, it appears that academic interest in turmeric and diabetes is picking up.

A new report, focused on the work of an Indian scientist, Professor Manohar Gang, working out o the University of Newcastle’s Nutraceuticals Research Group, suggests that turmeric’s anti-diabetic properties are related to its well known anti-inflammatory properties. Professor Gang is presently designing a clinical trial that will look at this connection in depth:

The root cause of type 2 diabetes is systemic inflammation, which impacts insulin secretion and function” Professor Garg explains. “We want to nip the inflammation in the bud.”

Professor Gang is leading a randomized, controlled trial that will test the effects of both turmeric and omega-3 fatty acids:

“The anti-inflammatory mechanisms surrounding curcumin and omega-3 fats are different, so we want to test if they complement each other and have treatment synergies beyond their individual effects,” Professor Garg added. “Our thinking is that the combination is safe, free of any side- effects and may prove to be as effective as drugs used for management of diabetes”.

Greenmedinfo.com already houses a wide range of studies on both turmeric and omega-3 fatty acid’s anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties, along with extensive research on over 1700 other natural substances.

You can view the anti-type 1 Diabetes research on turmeric here, and the anti-type 2 Diabetes research on turmeric here. Or, take a look at the 120 studies on our database on turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties.  You can also explore the role of omega-3 fatty acids in inflammation reduction and blood sugar balancing on our omega-3 database page here.

But don’t be mesmerized by magic bullets.

It should be noted that while turmeric and/or omega-3 fatty acids may provide a greatly superior alternative to conventional drug therapy for blood sugar disorders like type 1 and type 2 diabetes, there is a tendency to mistakenly over-identify with the allopathic model of disease by simply reproducing the same assumptions and addressing symptoms palliatively with would-be “nutraceutical magic bullets.” It is not our intention to replicate or reinforce these misunderstandings. A truly sustainable and root-cause-resolution oriented approach to managing and even resolving diabetes would look at factors such as heavy metal and petrochemical accumulations, hormone imbalance, nutritional incompatibilities, deficiencies and excesses, lack of adequate exercise, mind-body stress reduction techniques and mindfulness, etc. It is only through addressing the whole person that you can arrive at a true resolution of the underlying conditions that have lead one to a conventional diagnosis. For further research to support you in your task, visit our Health Guide: Blood Sugar Disorders, which collates both the first-hand biomedical research on natural/functional medical interventions, as well as articles aimed to translate in lay person terminology the import of these studies.

Also, learn more about turmeric’s amazing health benefits in our video below: 

© August 19, 2017 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

Treating Psoriasis With Essential Oils

One day, a few years ago, I happened to notice that my husband Shelly was wearing a long sleeved shirt on a hot summer day.  When I questioned him, he gave be a funny look then rolled up his sleeve to show me a large, unsightly, and extremely crusty patch of something on his elbow.  Not knowing what it was, I suggested some heavy duty moisturizer and left it at that.

When this dry, itchy patch on his elbow did not go away, it was time for a trip to the doctor who diagnosed psoriasis and prescribe a prescription steroid cream. Mind you, this was before I became a total convert to natural remedies and the use of essential oils for health and wellness.

The bottom line is this:  at the time, little did I know that we would be able to succeed at treating psoriasis with essential oils.  But, in truth, that is exactly what happened.

Conquering the Woes of Psoriasis With Essential Oils

I will let Shelly aka the Survival Husband tell you the story in his words:

A number of years ago I was diagnosed  with a case of plaque psoriasis on my right elbow.

There are multiple types of psoriasis with the most common being plaque psoriasis. Psoriasis is a disease of the immune system.  What happens is that the immune system over produces inflammatory cells. These skin cells build up, rise to the surface, and form raised red patches often with silvery scales know as plaque.

There is no cure and the recommended treatment is a prescription drug ENBREL.  This drug has major side effects so I chose not proceed with this remedy.  After discussing this with my doctor I was prescribed a steroid prescription ointment which didn’t do much to control the psoriasis.

What I didn’t realize is that any stress can exasperate the condition.

Enter Gaye my wife aka “Survival Woman”.  In late November of 2013, she  started applying oregano essential oil and her Miracle Salve to my elbow and I started to get immediate results. I began applying it twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening.  This seemed the control it somewhat.

Since then, Gaye has put the oregano essential oil in a small container with a rollerball and the Miracle Salve in a small container so I can apply this remedy during the day a couple of times in addition to my morning and night ritual. By doing so, I have greater control and don’t have the unsightly visual usually identified with psoriasis.

Needless to say, I have become a advocate in the healing properties of essential oils. There are many uses for essential oils; do your research and find out for yourself.

I should note that Shelly wrote this over a year ago but, for one reason or another, I did not share it here on the website.  Then, in January of this year, more than one reader sent an email asking if I had an EO solution for psoriasis.  Boy did I!

Over time, I have refined the formula that Shelly uses to control his psoriasis.  It has worked well for him and except for one brief period of a few days last fall, the psoriasis on his elbow is in total remission and has not shown up elsewhere on his body.

The Essential Oils Psoriasis Buster

Here is the two part protocol for using essential oils to conquer psoriasis.

Psoriasis Roller Ball Formula
36 drops Oregano essential oil
5 drops Patchouli essential oil
Fractionated Coconut Oil (like this)

Add your oils to a 10ML roller ball bottle.  Top with fractionated coconut oil.  Apply on affected areas once or twice a day.

Psoriasis Salve
3 teaspoons DIY Miracle Healing Salve
32 drops Bergamot essential oil

Mix together in a small jar.  After applying the roller ball formula, layer some psoriasis salve over the affected areas to seal it in.

This is a two-part formula.  You start with the roller ball then layer the salve on top.  This will add moisture plus it seals in the more liquid roller ball formula.

You can download a printable version here.  In addition, a recipe to make the DIY Miracle Healing Salve is here.

Note:  When I started out using essential oils, I was very exact in my measurements but these days? Not so much. Keep in mind that often times more is not better and everyone’s body may react differently to a particular formula.

How and Why Does this Work?

Two of the oils, oregano and patchouli, are powerful anti-fungals.  I don’t know the science behind it, but my guess is that the anti-fungal properties play a role in the success in busting through plaque psoriasis.  As far as the bergamot, I knew that it was a terrific stress reliever and felt that the added boost would be beneficial.  I proved to be right, in Shelly’s case, at least.

Here is a brief description of each oil and its health benefits, excerpted from the Organic Facts website (a good one to bookmark if you are interested in natural remedies).

Oregano:  Some of the most impressive and important health benefits of oregano include its ability to protect the immune system, prevent the onset of chronic disease, improve digestion, detoxify the body, strengthen the bones, improve heart health, increase energy levels, and even protect against diabetes.

Patchouli:  The health benefits of Patchouli Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties as an antidepressant, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cicatrisant, cytophylactic, deodorant, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicide, insecticide, sedative and tonic substance.

Bergamot:  The health benefits of Bergamot Essential Oil can be attributed to its properties as a deodorant, vulnerary, vermifuge, antibiotic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, sedative, analgesic, antidepressant, disinfectant, febrifuge, cicatrisant, and digestive substance.

More information about Oregano essential oil can be found in the article 25 Ways .to Use Oregano Essential Oil for Health and Wellness.

Here are instructions for DIY Miracle Healing Salve.  (Don’t worry, it’s easy.)

A Word About Essential Oils and Roller Ball Bottles

When selecting the oils to use in these Psoriasis formulas, be mindful that you want to use 100% pure, undiluted, essential oils.  I get mine from Spark Naturals because I feel that they are the best quality I can buy at a reasonable price.  If you are interesting in giving them a try, you will enjoy an extra 10% by using coupon code BACKDOORSURVIVAL at checkout.

Resource:  Oregano Essential Oil, Patchouli Essential Oil, and Bergamot Essential Oil

I get my roller ball bottles from both Spark Naturals (my essential oil vendor of choice) and Amazon. You can probably find them at craft stores but since there are none close to where I live, I must purchase them online.

Resource:   Cobalt Blue Glass Roller Bottles – Pack of 6

You will find it useful to know that 10ML is approx. 1/3 oz or 2 tsp. In a pinch, you could probably use one of those small travel bottles that are ubiquitous. Instead of rolling it on, you could dab it with your finger.

The Final Word

As with all things related to essential oils and natural remedies, what works for one person may work differently for another.  That said, I have provided samples of these formulas to friends and it has worked for all of them.

If you or someone you know suffers from the woes of psoriasis, I hope you will give this a try.  Feel free to experiment by using one formula or the other, or do as Shelly does and use both.  And definitely – report back with the results.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

Coconut Water: A New Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment?

Unlike conventional drug treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, coconut oil and water may help resolve some of the root causes of neurodegenerative conditions. 

Have you ever noticed that sometimes a food that nourish a particular organ often look uncannily similar to it? For instance, the walnut shell and bi-hemispheric flesh look awfully like the skull and brain it is now known to be exceptionally good for. Pomegranate fruit, the actual fruiting ovary of the plant, looks a lot like the mammalian ovary that it has been proven to support, containing relatively high levels of the actual bioidentical estrogen estrone. So too is the case with the head-like coconut, which is increasingly being looked at for preventing and/or improving brain dysfunctions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) due to its wide range of potentially therapeutic properties, such as:

1)     Increasingly energy production in the brain by providing neurons an alternative to glucose, namely, the brain-nourishing metabolites of medium chain fatty acids known as ketone bodies.

2)     By contributing potent antioxidant polyphenols that may reduce oxidative stress, improve brain blood circulation and reducing neuroinflammation

3)     By inhibiting amyloid beta plaque-associated neuronal toxicity.

Indeed, a growing number of cell, animal, human and population-based studies reveal that coconut consumption may provide a natural solution to a growing global epidemic that pharmaceutical drugs have been shown to do nothing to mitigate. In fact, we have discussed in previous articles how modern drug-based treatment for AD actually is more like chemical warfare than a therapeutic intervention.

One reason why conventional interventions are so ineffective is that the brain is highly protected against the entry of chemicals due to the brain-blood-barrier (BBB), with most small molecule drugs and virtually all large molecule drugs incapable of gaining entry to the brain because of it. Even naturally occurring biomolecules such as fats have a hard time penetrating directly through the BBB. Coconut may be an exception to this rule, as it has copious amounts of the medium chain triglyceride known as caprylic acid, which preliminary research indicates is able to pass through the BBB and which has been demonstrated to possess  anti-convulsive and neuroprotective properties in the animal model.^[1]

Coconut Water’s Anti-Alzheimer’s Properties

We have reported previously on coconut oil and Alzheimer’s research, but it appears another coconut product: coconut water, which contains no fatty acids of physiological relevance, may also have great value for those suffering with Alzheimer’s disease.

Coconut water is one of nature’s best forms of hydration due to its isotonic properties (it is able to pass through cell membranes easily). And while the focus on brain health has been primarily on brain structures, e.g. neurons, brain plaque, etc., little focus has been on the role of water in brain health, and particularly dehydration as a factor in chronic neurodegeneration illness. Coconut water may help to restore hydration to the brain, and considering the discovery of a 4th phase of water known as EZ by Gerald Pollack which acts like a battery by absorbing the energy of sunlight, this increased hydration of the brain may also translate to increased energy production in those tissues and associated improvements in cognition.

First, coconut water contains a range of essential biomolecules needed for health, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, enzymes, growth factors and other nutrients which have yet to be fully characterized.

Second, one of the more promising classes of phytocompounds in coconut water (and related plants) is known as cytokinins. These plant hormones modulate plant cell division and are believed to have anti-aging properties. One cytokinin known as trans-zeatin has been investigated as a possible new treatment for neuronal diseases including Alzheimer’s disease. According to a recent review on coconut’s value in Alzheimer’s disease, trans-zeatin is capable of preventing the brain cell damaging properties of amyloid beta brain plaque and related impairments in memory:

“Zeatin has demonstrated antioxidant and cell protective effects against Ab-induced neurotoxicity in cultures of neuronal PC12 cells, and in experiments of mice treated with scopolamine to induce amnesia, pretreatment of the mice with zeatin caused a reduction in the level of induced amnesia, according to the passive avoidance test and Y maze test(165)^[2]. Interestingly, another study has found that trans-zeatin could inhibit acetylcholinesterase (166,167)^[3][4]. This indicates that cytokinin could have therapeutic value, as levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine are reduced in AD, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are currently used to ameliorate the symptoms of AD.”

The enzyme acetylcholinersterase is the target of most AD drugs, because when this enzyme is inhibited it increases the duration of activity for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which in Alzheimer’s patients is believed to impaired or deficient.

Furthermore, the study pointed out another potentially beneficial property of coconut water for neurodegenerative disease via improving cardiovascular disease parameters (e.g. blood lipids and blood pressure):

“Coconut water has also been shown to have beneficial effects on serum and tissue lipid parameters, when given to rats concurrently fed a high-cholesterol containing diet(168).^[5] Another study has investigated the positive effect of regular consumption of two tropical food drinks, coconut (C. nucifera) water and mauby (Colubrina arborescens), on the control of hypertension(169).^[6] The combined products were found to be almost twice as effective as the products in isolation.”

If you have followed my previous writing on coconut water it is no secret to you that I am quite smitten with coconut water. In a previous article, “Coconut Water: More Than Just A Refreshing Beverage,” I broke down the multitude of health benefits it has been studied to possess. Despite these scientifically validated health properties, a common concern is coconut water’s sugar content. And yet, despite coconut water’s sweet taste and not insignificant simple sugar content it has actually been studied to have significant anti-diabetic properties.[7] [8] Also, take a look at this study showing that coconut water may outperform a blockbuster statin drug[9] for improving blood lipid profiles.  Because statin drugs are well known diabetogenic agents, coconut’s potential role in substituting for statin drugs may actually make it a powerful contributor to reducing iatrogenic, drug-caused diabetes.

Ultimately, I believe a compelling pattern of evidence points to the use of coconut oil and water as a therapeutic agent in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. To learn more about how alternative fuel sources such as fatty acids may benefit brain health read “Sugar and Your Brain: Is Alzheimer’s Disease Actually Type 3 Diabetes?” To explore a rich database of research on natural interventions for Alzheimer’s disease view our section dedicated to the topic here: Alzheimer’s disease research.

References

---

^[1] Wlaz´ P, Socała K, Nieoczym D, et al. (2012) Anticonvulsant profile of caprylic acid, a main constituent of the medium chain triglyceride (MCT) ketogenic diet, in mice. Neuropharmacology 62, 1882–1889.

^[2] Choi SJ, Jeong CH, Choi SG, et al. (2009) Zeatin prevents amyloid b-induced neurotoxicity and scopolamine-induced cognitive deficits. J Med Food 12, 271–277.

^[3]  Heo HJ, Hong SC, Cho HY, et al. (2002) Inhibitory effect of zeatin, isolated from Fatoua villosa, on acetylcholinesterase activity from PC12 cells. Mol Cells 13, 113–117.

^[4] Mirjana BCˇ, Danijela ZK & Tamara DL (2013) Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors: pharmacology and toxicology. Curr Neuropharmacol 11, 315–335.

^[5] Sandhya VG & Rajamohan T (2006) Beneficial effects of coconut water feeding on lipid metabolism in cholesterolfed rats. J Med Food 9, 400–407. 169.

^[6]  Alleyne T, Roache S, Thomas C, et al. (2005) The control of hypertension by use of coconut water and mauby: two tropical food drinks. West Indian Med J 54, 3–8.

^[7] Isabella F D Pinto, Railmara P Silva, Adriano de B Chaves Filho, Lucas S Dantas, Vanderson S Bispo, Isaac A Matos, Felipe A M Otsuka, Aline C Santos, Humberto Reis Matos. Study of Antiglycation, Hypoglycemic, and Nephroprotective Activities of the Green Dwarf Variety Coconut Water (Cocos nucifera L.) in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats. J Med Food. 2015 Feb 4. Epub 2015 Feb 4. PMID: 25651375

^[8] P P Preetha, V Girija Devi, T Rajamohan. Hypoglycemic and antioxidant potential of coconut water in experimental diabetes. Food Funct. 2012 May 11. Epub 2012 May 11. PMID:22576019

© June 17, 2017 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.

Scientists Find A Plant That Could Treat Diabetes And Kill Cancer Cells

Bitter melon is a fruit that grows abundantly in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean. Traditionally it has been used to treat diabetes and other more mild diseases or illnesses.

More recently, bitter melon juice was shown to kill pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in mice in a study done by the University of Colorado. Considering the results were seen in both in vitro and in vivo tests, the effectiveness of bitter melon juice in treating pancreatic cancer, and potentially other cancers, at a clinical level are promising.[1]

“IHC analyses of MiaPaCa-2 xenografts showed that BMJ (Bitter Melon Juice) also inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis and activates AMPK (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) in vivo. Overall, BMJ exerts strong anticancer efficacy against human pancreatic carcinoma cells, both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting its clinical usefulness.”

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat due to the fact that it is often discovered late, leaving very little time to treat. Since traditional therapies (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery etc) were not showing promising results and littler advancement was being made, researchers have been looking elsewhere to find treatment.

Interestingly, cannabis, specifically cannabinoids, have been shown to induce apoptic (programmed) death of human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and stop pancreatic tumor growth in vivo.[4] Cannabis is perhaps one of the most popular treatments being aggressively pursued right now given its promising results both in labs and anecdotally.

Many cancerous tumors have insulin receptors which move glucose to cancer cells helping them to grow and divide. Studies have shown that insulin encourages pancreatic cancer cells to grow in a dose dependant manner, since bitter melon has been shown to help regulate insulin levels, this could help prevent pancreatic cancer over the long-term.

The Colorado University study was led by Dr. Rajesh Agarwal. They examined effects of bitter melon on 4 different lines of pancreatic cancer cells (in vitro) and in mice. For the in vivo studies, mice were injected with pancreatic tumor cells and were randomly divided into one of two groups. One group of mice received water, which was the control group, and the other group was given bitter melon juice for six weeks.[6]

Researchers studied the tumors at the end of the study and results showed that bitter melon juice not only inhibited cancer cell proliferation but also induced apoptosis (programmed cell death). Compared to the control, tumor growth was inhibited by 60% in the treatment group and there were no signs of toxicity or negative effects on the body. With toxicity and negative effects being a huge role in traditional mainstream treatments, this was positive to see.

Diabetes

A number of clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of bitter melon for treating diabetes. Since it is believed that diabetes is a precursor for pancreatic cancer, researchers felt bitter melon could treat diabetes as well after seeing pancreatic cancer results.

In 2011, results of a four week long clinical trial were published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology that showed modest hypoglycemic effects and significant fructosamine management for those taking 2000mg/day of bitter melon.

As published by the study: “Bitter melon had a modest hypoglycemic effect and significantly reduced fructosamine levels from baseline among patients with type 2 diabetes who received 2,000 mg/day. However, the hypoglycemic effect of bitter melon was less than metformin 1,000 mg/day.”[3]

Another study published in 2008 in the international journal Chemistry and Biology indicated that compounds in bitter melon improved glycemic control, helped cells uptake glucose and improved overall glucose tolerance. This study was done in mice and led to promising advancements in treating diabetes and obesity with bitter melon.[4]

In contrast, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology in 2007 did not show significant benefit of the treatment of diabetes by bitter melon but 2 years later in the British Journal of Nutrition it was stated that “more, better-designed and clinical trials are required to confirm the fruit’s role in diabetes treatment.”

Since that 2007 study, more studies have been done to show beneficial effects which perhaps was a result of better design.

Conclusion

When it comes to bitter melon juice, the current research available is showing strong results for specific types of cancer cell destruction, diabetes treatment and potential prevention of pancreatic cancer. Further research and clinical trials would be helpful to better understand how effective this plant can be and in what specific cases. It remains a very promising option that could be explored under the correct supervision.

Other Uses of Bitter Melon

Bitter melon has been used as a traditional medicine for a long time. It has been used to treat: colic, fever, burns, chronic cough, painful menstruation and skin conditions.[5]