Pomegranates: An Answer To Prostate Cancer

By Jason Myers

Pomegranates have long been utilized in traditional folk remedies to treat sore throats, inflammation, and rheumatism. And latest scientific research study has suggested that they are also possibly responsive in both preventing and treating prostate cancer.

One study, carried out on human prostate cancer cells in lab dishes, at the University of Wisconsin, found that there existed dosage dependant advances. One more study at the same facility occurred wherein mice were injected with human prostate cancer cells. Resklts showed that these mice developed malignancies. Some mice were fed with plain fluid, while 2 other subject groups of mice were given water mixed with varyingl concentrations of pomegranate extract.

Those mice subjects that were plainly fed with water had tumours that grew much faster than the pomegranate and water groups. The quantity levels accorded to the mice were identical to that which people might get if they consume pomegranate juice on a daily basis. And whilst pomegranate juice hasn't yet been tested on humans with prostate cancer, the results are indeed encouraging.

The study did not indicate what areas of pomegranate juice were responsible for addressing prostate tumour growth. But the scientists concerned did mention the antioxidant polyphenolic compounds, which prove to be more responsive than green tea and red wine.

Pomegranate extract not only suppressed the development of cancer cells, it also worked in another way - apoptosis.

Apoptosis relates to a way that cells can die. Cancer growths are characterized by an uncontrolled growth of cells without following the the normal processes of cellular differentiation of regular healthy cells. Cellular differentiation implies that the characteristics of a cell change and acquire the functions that a mature, healthy cell would. For instance, liver cells have specialized liver functions, as do prostate, breast, kidney, and all other types of cells. This is right and healthy.

In tumour growths, although some cells fully differentiate, many just differentiate partially, and some do not differentiate at all. And the tumors which have more undifferentiated cells develop at a faster pace. So, stimulating cellular differentiation is one path towards cancer treatment. One more way being tried by medical specialists and researchers in treating cancer is by causing the death of cancerous cells. They do this through apoptosis, mentioned above, and necrosis.

Generally, prostate cancer grows at a very slow rate, although it is sporadic and can advance and spread rapidly. - 30285

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