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(NaturalNews) Grapes, grape juice and wine made from grapes have been in the news for the last few years -- making headlines for their potential heart protective benefits. Now there's another reason to appreciate the healthy phytochemicals contained in grapes. Researchers from the University of Kentucky have found a natural substance in the fruit that's deadly to malignant leukemia cells. The powerful cancer fighter, derived from grape seeds, triggered the death of 76 percent of leukemia cells exposed to the extract in a laboratory experiment.

The scientists just reported this study in the January 1, 2009, issue of Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. They also published data that reveals the cell signaling pathway that grape seed extract impacts to trigger the death, or apoptosis, of leukemia cells. The University of Kentucky researchers concluded the extract "turns on" a protein known as JNK that regulates the cancer-cell killing pathway.

"These results could have implications for the incorporation of agents such as grape seed extract into prevention or treatment of hematological malignancies and possibly other cancers," the study's lead author, Xianglin Shi, Ph.D., professor in the Graduate Center for Toxicology at the University of Kentucky, said in a statement to the media.

Dr. Shi and his research team have been studying chemicals called proanthocyanidins in fruits that epidemiological evidence shows may prevent the development of cancer. In additional studies, Dr. Shi and colleagues discovered that apple peel extract contains antioxidant-rich flavonoids which cause several cancer cell lines to die.

Based on this earlier research, as well as studies from other scientists showing grape seed extract reduces breast tumors in rats and skin tumors in mice, the University of Kentucky scientists decided to see what effect the natural components of grape seed extract might have on leukemia cells. Although grape seed extract has already shown activity against several other forms of cancer cell lines in the lab, including skin, breast, colon, lung, stomach and prostate cancers, this is the first time the natural substance has been tested on hematological cancers.

This category of cancers, which the National Cancer Institute lists as the fourth leading cause of cancer incidence and death in the U.S., involve the uncontrolled growth of cells that have similar functions and origins and includes leukemias, lymphomas, and myeloma. Leukemia is specifically a cancer of blood and the bone marrow.

Dr. Shi and his team exposed leukemia cells to a commercially available grape seed extract in different doses. They found the higher doses had the most marked effect in causing the death of the cancer cells. They also discovered that the extract does nothing to harm normal cells.

"What everyone seeks is an agent that has an effect on cancer cells but leaves normal cells alone, and this shows that grape seed extract fits into this category," Dr. Shi stated in the media release.

For more information on the research, visit The American Association for Cancer Research at http://www.aacr.org/home/public--media/news.aspx?d=1234

About the author
Sherry Baker is a widely published writer whose work has appeared in Newsweek, Health, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Yoga Journal, Optometry, Atlanta, Arthritis Today, Natural Healing Newsletter, OMNI, UCLA's "Healthy Years" newsletter, Mount Sinai School of Medicine's "Focus on Health Aging" newsletter, the Cleveland Clinic's "Men's Health Advisor" newsletter and many others.

(NaturalNews) A preliminary clinical trial has been completed by Dr. Glenn Vile in conjunction with HortResearch, a New Zealand research institution. Although the number of participants in the trial is small (eleven competitive rowers), the double-blind nature of the trial and the preliminary results indicate that the grapeseed extract used in Moxxor (a marine omega-3 nutritional supplement) may be beneficial as a dietary supplement for helping reduce oxidative stress during exercise.

Here's how the trial was structured: One hour prior to exercise, competitive rowers were given either 150mg of grapeseed extract (GSE) or 150mg of placebo (glucose). A second dose of the same amount was given after the 30-minute exercise session. Blood samples were taken one hour prior to exercise and one hour after exercise.

The blood samples were analyzed to determine the level of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a chemical marker of oxidative stress and muscle damage. The results of this preliminary trial reveal that those rowers who took the grapeseed extract used in Moxxor experienced a 34% reduction in LDH levels (plus or minus 6%).

The author's conclusion of this study is included below, along with full references.

While the study was too small to support sweeping generalizations about GSE and exercise for the population as a whole, it does provide justified optimism for further study of grapeseed extract as potential reducer of exercise-induced oxidative stress. This may mean (although there is no proof of this yet) that GSE might also be a useful element to study in the prevention of heart disease or cancer. Recent laboratory research conducted at the University of Kentucky, in fact, reveals that GSE causes leukemia cells to commit suicide (apoptosis), thereby positioning grapeseed extract as a potentially useful anti-cancer element for further study.

If you are interested in taking Moxxor, by the way, there are currently over 1,000 NaturalNews readers who are Moxxor members, and they can introduce you to the remarkable health properties of this marine omega-3 oil that contains grapeseed extract from New Zealand. Simply go to www.NaturalNews.com/Moxxor-information.html and click on the city nearest you to find a NaturalNews Moxxor team member. Then contact them by phone or email to learn more.

You can also read more about the science behind Moxxor's anti-inflammatory properties here: www.NaturalNews.com/moxxor_health_benefits.asp

Note: This article makes no health claims about Moxxor, and Moxxor is not intended to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease. I have a financial stake in the success of Moxxor, and I currently take six to eight capsules of Moxxor each day. It should also be noted that Dr. Glenn Vile has a financial stake in the success of grapeseed extract, as he is one of the founders of New Zealand Extracts, which you can read about here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4241346a13.html

The company's grapeseed products are described here (very interesting reading): http://www.nzextracts.co.nz/grapeseed.htm

It's also worth noting that the grapeseed extract used in this study is the exact same grapeseed extract used in Moxxor.

MOXXOR Antioxidant and Exercise
Here's the text of the preliminary study from Dr. Glenn Vile:

The increased demand for energy during exercise requires an increased oxygen supply to active tissues and an increased metabolic rate. Based on our current understanding that there is a balance between oxidative stress and our antioxidant defense mechanisms it would be predicted that the increased oxygen supply and metabolic rate associated with exercise would overwhelm our antioxidant defense mechanisms and lead to increased levels of oxidative stress. There is good evidence that is the case. Oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA occurs in both trained and untrained volunteers during, and for up to 24hrs after, taking part in activities such as alpine ski racing, long distance running, and cycling (Shing et al 2007, Subudhi et al 2001, Mastaloudis et al 2001, Ramel et al 2004, Aguilo et al 2005, Goldfarb et al 2005 and Itoh H et al 2000).

Antioxidants, particularly vitamin E, are depleted during exercise (Mastaloudis et al 2001 and Aguilo et al 2005), and recent evidence suggests that the dietary intake of antioxidants by athletes is lower than the general population (Machefer et al 2007). Supplementation with antioxidants prior to exercising reduces the oxidative damage that occurs during exercise. Antioxidants that have been shown to be effective include vitamins E and/or C (Aguilo et al 2005, Goldfarb et al 2005, Itoh et al 2000, Bryant et al 2004 and Bloomer et al 2004), and polyphenolic compounds of the type that are found in Grape Seed Extract (Morillis et al 2005, Pilaczynska-Szczesniak et al 2005 and Murase et al 2005). In addition antioxidant supplementation enhances aerobic performance in athletes (Aguilo et al 2007).

A daily dose of 35-110 mg of polyphenolic compounds, such as those found in MOXXOR Grape Seed Extract, has been shown to be effective in reducing oxidative damage and preventing the depletion of vitamin E that occurs during normal and strenuous levels of activity (Pilaczynska-Szczesniak et al 2005, Murase et al 2005 and Simonetti et al 2002).

Antioxidant supplementation prior to exercise has been shown to decrease some of the unwanted consequences of exercise e.g. muscle soreness (Bloomer et al 2004) but at this stage there is no evidence that antioxidant supplementation improves exercise performance (Itoh et al 2000 and Bloomer et al 2004).

The high antioxidant activity of MOXXOR grape seed extract has been demonstrated in test tube assays (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity or ORAC assays) and in cytoprotection assays with cultured human cells.

In order to determine if MOXXOR grape seed extract is able to protect athletes from muscle damage that occurs as a consequence of the increased levels of oxidative stress generated during exercise, MOXXOR in conjunction with HortResearch, a New Zealand research institution, have performed a preliminary clinical trial.

Eleven well trained rowers completed a full cross-over trial. One hour prior to a 30 min maximal rowing ergo-meter test the participants were given a capsule containing either 150mg of MOXXOR grape seed extract or 150mg of glucose (a placebo, and a double blind cross-over trial). A second capsule of 150 mg was given immediately post-exercise bringing the total dose to 300mg. Blood samples were taken one hour prior to exercise and one hour after exercise and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was measured in plasma samples as an indicator of muscle damage.

As expected, levels of LDH significantly increased in the blood one hour following the rowing ergo-meter exercise. An acute total dose of 300mg of MOXXOR grape seed extract decreased the release of LDH by 34 +/-6%. The results of this preliminary trial indicate that MOXXOR grape seed extract may be effective at reducing the muscle damage that occurs in trained athletes following exercise.

References

Aguilo A, Tauler P, Fuentespina E, Tur JA, Cordova A, and Pons A (2005). Antioxidant response to oxidative stress induced by exhaustive exercise. Physiol Behav 31:1-7.

Aguilo A, Tauler P, Sureda A, Cases N, Pons A (2007). Antioxidant diet supplementation enhances aerobic performance in amateur sports men. J. Sports Sci. 25:1203-1210.

Bloomer RJ, Goldfarb AH, McKenzie MJ, You T and Nguyen L (2004). Effects of antioxidant therapy in women exposed to eccentric exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 14:377-388.

Bryant RJ, Ryder J, Martino P, Kim J and Craig BW (2003). Effects of vitamin C and E supplementation either alone or in combination on exercise-induced lipid peroxidation in trained cyclists. J Strength Con Res 17:792-800.

Goldfarb AH, Bloomer RJ and McKenzie MJ (2005). Combined antioxidant treatment effects on blood oxidative stress after eccentric exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 37: 234-239.

Itoh H, Ohkuwa T, Yamazaki, Shimoda T, Wakayma A, Tamura S, Yamamoto T, Sato Y and Miyamura M (2000). Vitamin E supplementation attenuates leakage of enzymes following 6 successive days of running training. Int J Sports Med 21:369-374.

Machefer G, Groussard C, Zouhal H, Vincent S, Youssef H, Faure H, Malarde L, Gratas-Delamarche A (2007). Nutritional and plasmatic antioxidant vitamins status of ultra endurance athletes. J Am Coll Nutr 26:311-316.

Mastaloudis A, Leonard SW and Traber MG (2001). Oxidative stress during extreme endurance exercise. Free Radic Biol Med 31:911-922.