Brazilian Berry Shown to Kill Human Cancer Cells

A Brazilian berry popular in health foods contains antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent study, one of the first to investigate the fruit's professed benefits.

Published in the January 15, 2008, issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed that extracts from acai (Euterpe oleracea) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86% of leukemia cells tested, according to Dr. Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor from the University of Florida's (UF; Gainesville, USA) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

"Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants,” Dr. Talcott said. "This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements, or other products made with the berries.”
He cautioned that the study was not intended to show whether compounds found in acai berries could prevent leukemia in humans.

"This was only a cell-culture model and we don't want to give anyone false hope,” Dr. Talcott said. "We are encouraged by the findings, however. Compounds that show good activity against cancer cells in a model system are most likely to have beneficial effects in our bodies.”

Other fruits, including grapes, guavas, and mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies, according to Dr. Talcott. Experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism, and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants' chemical activity.

Another UF study will investigate the effects of acai's antioxidants on healthy human subjects, according to Dr. Talcott. The study will determine how well the compounds are absorbed into the blood, and how they may affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and related health indicators. Up to now, only basic research has been done on acai berries, which contain at least 50 to 75 as-yet unidentified compounds.

"One reason so little is known about acai berries is that they're perishable and are traditionally used immediately after picking,” Dr Talcott said. "Products made with processed acai berries have only been available for about five years, so researchers in many parts of the world have had little or no opportunity to study them.”

UF is one of the first institutions outside Brazil with investigators studying acai berries.
Acai berries are produced by a palm tree known scientifically as E. oleracea, common in floodplain areas of the Amazon River, according to Dr. Talcott. When ripe, the berries are dark purple and about the size of a blueberry. They contain a thin layer of edible pulp surrounding a large seed.

Historically, Brazilians have used acai berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, according to Dr. Talcott. Current marketing efforts by retail merchants and Internet businesses suggest acai products can help consumers lose weight, lower cholesterol, and gain energy. "A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven't been tested scientifically,” Dr. Talcott said. "We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects.”

In the current UF study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations. Four of the extracts were shown to kill significant numbers of leukemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35-86% of the cells died.

The UF study demonstrates that research on foods not typically consumed in the United States is important, because it may lead to unexpected discoveries, according to Dr. Joshua Bomser, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition and functional foods at Ohio State University (Columbus, OH, USA). However, familiar produce items have many other health-giving qualities, he noted.

"Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer,” said Dr. Bomser, who studies the effects of diet on chronic diseases.


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