Native to the West Indies and southern Texas down to northern South America, the acerola tree bears fleshy, red fruits called acerola cherries. Practitioners of herbal medicine use acerola, known for its high levels of natural vitamin C and other essential vitamins and minerals, as a complementary therapy for cancer. However, due to a lack of concrete scientific evidence of acerola's effectiveness, consult your physician before use.
Vitamin C
Green, unripe acerola cherries are one of the richest food sources of vitamin C. On average, they contain 1,500 to 4,000 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of fresh fruit, according to California Rare Fruit Growers. For the sake of comparison, oranges yield only 50 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of fresh fruit and less than half the amounts of magnesium, potassium and pantothenic acid. Vitamin C, an essential nutrient and antioxidant, blocks damaging free radicals and boosts your immune system. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, people who eat a diet rich in vitamin C may have reduced rates of cancer, including skin, cervical and breast cancers.
Bioflavonoids
Not only do acerola cherries contain high levels of vitamin C, they also provide significant concentrations of bioflavonoids, sometimes called vitamin P, that help your body absorb vitamin C. Additionally, they provide free radical-scavenging antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. According to Phyllis A. Balch, certified nutritional consultant and author of the book "Prescription for Herbal Healing," development of inflammation is required for skin tumors to gain new blood supplies and grow. While in theory these effects should help inhibit cancer, no scientific studies bear this out.
Vitamin A
Acerola cherries also contain significant amounts of vitamin A, a nutrient valued for support of your immune system function. In an animal study conducted at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and published in the March 1980 issue of "Journal of Clinical Investigation," researchers found that retinoid in vitamin A inhibits breast cancer in rats. The need exists, however, for further research on humans.
Additional Acerola-Cancer Links
Balch claims that acerola cherries may help reduce the risk of developing certain malignancies, such as cancer of the stomach and esophagus. A Japanese study published in the March 2004 issue of "Phytotherapy Research" seems to back that up. Researchers suggest that acerola cherries may help reverse certain cancer activity and tout its application as a potential cancer therapy. Again, evidence remains complicated and unclear.
References
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center: Acerola
- California Rare Fruit Growers: Acerola
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Acerola
- "Prescription for Herbal Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch; 2002
- "Phytotherapy Research"; Biological Activity of Barbados Cherry (Acerola Fruits, Fruit of Malpighia Emarginata DC) Extracts and Fractions; N. Motoshashi, et al.; March 2004
- "Journal of Clinical Investigation"; Binding of Retinoids to Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines and their Effects on Cell Growth; Andre Lacroix, et al.; March 1980
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