Eating fruit, such as pomegranates that contain anti-aromatase phytochemicals reduces the incidence of hormone-dependent breast cancer, according to results of a study published in the January issue of Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Other researchers not associated with the study told the journal that the results are promising, and suggested more studies involving animals and humans were needed to confirm the findings.

Pomegranates and pomegranate extracts have been shown to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation and invasion and promote cell apoptosis in both ER+ and ER- breast cancer cells in a dose dependent manner, as well as preventing mammary tumor formation in HER2/neu transgenic mice. In addition, pomegranates have been shown to inhibit aromatase activity and pomegranate juice consumption appears not to significantly increase circulating estrogen levels in postmenopausal women.

In cancer studies, pomegranate juice has been found to reduce the incidence of skin, breast, lung and prostate cancer. Its ability of fight these diseases is due to the level of antioxidants that it contains and their anti-inflammatory effect.

Studies have shown that when cancer cells are exposed to pomegranate juice they die. It has been effective in halting the growth, and preventing the development of cancer. Women working at preventing or healing breast cancer will be interested to know that studies show that the juice inhibits aromatase activity by sixty to eight per cent without side effects. Other benefits for women are in its high iron, calcium and magnesium content.

Pomegranate is an exotic fruit containing juicy, ruby-red seeds. Like green tea, the pomegranate is rich in beneficial polyphenols or flavonoids. Although it has long been valued as a medicinal plant, there have been seven times as many published studies regarding pomegranate in the past seven years as in all the preceding years.

On the heels of the discovery by Israeli researchers that pomegranate juice has antioxidant properties, another Israeli team has found that the fruit could have important implications for breast cancer treatment and estrogen replacement therapy.

The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology research team presented two studies at an international conference in June indicating that pomegranate seed oil triggers apoptosis — a self-destruct mechanism in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, pomegranate juice can be toxic to most estrogen-dependent breast cancer cells, while leaving normal breast cells largely unaffected. Estrogen is a hormone often prescribed to protect postmenopausal women against heart disease and osteoporosis.

An acid found in pomegranates appears to block aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgen to estrogen, a hormone that plays a role in the development of breast cancer, the researchers wrote in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

“We identified some of these chemicals in pomegranates that actually have properties that can suppress aromatase,” researcher Shiuan Chen, of the City of Hope cancer research and treatment center in Duarte, California, said in a telephone interview.

Pomegranate is enriched in a series of compounds known as ellagitannins that, as shown in this study, appear to be responsible for the anti-proliferative effect of the pomegranate.

“Phytochemicals suppress estrogen production that prevents the proliferation of breast cancer cells and the growth of estrogen-responsive tumors,” said principal investigator Shiuan Chen, Ph.D., director of the Division of Tumor Cell Biology and co-leader of the Breast Cancer Research Program at City of Hope in Duarte, Calif.

Many women who have had breast cancer take medicines called aromatase inhibitors — such as Pfizer’s Aromasin, Novartis’ Femara and AstraZeneca Plc’s Arimidex — to keep estrogen from feeding tumors.

Chen and colleagues studied whether compounds, or phytochemicals, in pomegranates can suppress aromatase and ultimately block cancer growth. They found that 10 natural compounds in the fruit may potentially prevent estrogen-related breast cancer.

Chen said the compounds would not be a replacement for aromatase inhibitors.

“We do not recommend people start taking this as a replacement for the AI’s,” Chen said. “They (pomegranate compounds) are not as potent as the real drugs so we think that the interest probably is more on the prevention end rather than in a therapeutic purpose.”

It’s not clear that these levels could be achieved in animals or in humans because the (compounds) are not well absorbed into blood when provided in the diet,” said Gary Stoner of Ohio State University.

Dr. Powel Brown, an oncologist at the University of Texas, said in a statement that future studies should focus on testing pomegranate juice for its effect on estrogen levels, menopausal symptoms, breast density or even as a cancer preventive agent.

More than 400,000 women die from breast cancer globally every year. About 75 percent of breast cancers are estrogen-receptor positive, meaning they are fed by estrogen.

Previous research has shown that pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants — vitamins and other substances — that may help prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Pomegranate fruit has one of the highest antioxidant contents of any fruit in the world as well as some of the most effective antioxidants. These antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the body that are believed to cause diseases such as coronary heart disease and cancer. Based on research concerning the effects of pomegranate juice on heart health and cancer treatment, it is clear that the naturally these occurring antioxidants can serve as a safe and rather effective treatment.

In addition to having anti-inflammatory effects, the juice, peel, and oil also have demonstrated anticancer activities, including interference with tumor cell growth and reproduction, cell cycle control, tumor invasion, and new blood vessel growth.

The anti-tumor properties of the pomegranate fruit are due to the additive or synergistic effects of most of the different compounds/nutrients in the fruit according to James Kumi-Diaka, PhD, an associate professor of biological sciences at Florida Atlantic University in Davie. “Extracts of pomegranate have potential antiproliferative [anti-growth] effects on tumors including human breast cancer cell lines. Research data in our own laboratory and from elsewhere indicate that the flavonoids including phenolic acids and the pericarps’ [seed covering] tannins in pomegranate oil, all have cancer chemopreventive properties.

Which pomegranate products are effective?

Two recommended and effective pomegranate products are:

1. Pomegranate Seed Oil

Studies conducted on Pomegranate Seed Oil have shown it to causes breast cancer cell destruction. With breast cancer being one of the leading killers of women, this is a ground breaking discovery.

Pomegranate seed oil possesses powerful antioxidant properties and can help prevent and treat a variety of cancers including breast cancer and skin cancer. Studies have shown that pomegranate oil is effective at killing and preventing the formation of both estrogen dependent and non-estrogen dependent cancer cells.

In a 2002 study, pomegranate seed oil inhibited the proliferation of human breast cancer cells up to 90%, while fermented pomegranate juice polyphenols inhibited 47% of cancerous lesion formation in mammary gland cells from mice. Ellagic acid, a polyphenol derived from pomegranate, has been identified to have potent antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-atherosclerotic properties.

The therapeutic properties of the oil are due to high contents of ellagic acid, which is a powerful antioxidant and antiproliferant compound, and a significant amount of punicic acid, which is very closely related to conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Both acids have been shown in studies to be highly effective in slowing the growth of cancer cells. The ellagic acid in the Pomegranate Seed Oil prevents the creation of blood vessels in cancer cells and causing apoptosis, which is the technical name for the slow death of cells (as compared to necrosis, which is the traumatic death of cells).

Previous research has shown that pomegranate juice — punica granatum L — is high in antioxidant activity, which is generally attributed to the fruit’s high polyphenol content. Ellagic acid found in pomegranates inhibits aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgen to estrogen. Aromatase plays a key role in breast carcinogenesis; therefore, the growth of breast cancer is inhibited.

A highly recommended Pomegranate seed oil product is Pomega5 Pomegranate Seed Oil Complex.

Pomega5 Pomegranate Seed Oil Complex contains a blend of pure, biodynamic pomegranate seed oil and organic extra virgin olive oil, cold-pressed, packed and shipped under the strictest quality conditions. Pomegranate seed oil is a natural phytoestrogen, powerful antioxidant, Omega 5 conjugated fatty acid, and rare plant-based source of CLA (conjugated linolenic acid). Pomegranate seed oil supports and maintains breast, uterine and prostate health, heart health, and skin health

“Only a very small fraction of the world’s pomegranate crop meets the strict criteria set by Pomega5,” explains Tzeira Sofer, President of Pomega5. “The oil used in Pomega5 products comes from the seeds of pomegranates grown organically in the Mediterranean. The ideal blend of climate, soil and traditional farming methods results in pomegranates that are renowned for their very high concentration of punicic acid.”
The seeds from these pomegranates are cold-pressed using a proprietary technique that delivers an ultra-premium grade of oil that has a sweet nutty taste and a clear golden color. The oil is then packed and shipped under the strictest quality conditions. Pomega5 skin treatments are dermatologist tested and pass all stability and purity tests.

2. Fermented pomegranate juice

Fermentation (pomegranate wine) liberates the active chemicals in the pomegranate making it very effective against breast cancer tumors.

Fermented pomegranate juice polyphenols have been shown to inhibit angiogenesis in both ER+ and ER- breast cancer cells.

Pomegranate fermented juice polyphenols and pomegranate seed oil have both been shown to reduce the number of carcinogen-induced mammary tumors in mice.

Fermented pomegranate juice polyphenols consistently showed approximately twice the anti-proliferative effect as fresh pomegranate juice polyphenols against estrogen-dependent (MCF-7) and estrogen-independent (MB-MDA-231) cells.

A highly recommended  Fermented pomegranate juice product is Cardiogranate.

Cardiogranate is a mixture of concentrated fermented pomegranate juice, watery extract of organically grown pomegranate peels, concentrated fresh pomegranate juice and honey. It is designed to deliver the antioxidant protective effects of a daily glass of pomegranate juice in just two teaspoons of elixir.

CardioGranate is made of 100% pure pomegranate. There is nothing but pomegranate in the capsules. Great care is given to separating and re-combining the elements of the original fruit, and the important compounds are isolated through a very gentle and natural extraction process that is free of harmful chemicals.

The resulting synergistic effect of the pomegranate powders is unmatched by any other pomegranate-based supplement available today.

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