Cancer continues to be one of the leading causes of death worldwide despite continued attempts to combat it. Chemotherapy is one treatment that has increased survival rates. In experiments on animals, one fruit showed effects that were comparable to those of the medicine.
(Photo: Getty)
Graviola may be able to halt the progression of the disease, according to preliminary studies, even if the effects of nutrition on cancer are still mostly unstudied. According to additional studies, it might improve the effectiveness of conventional medicines or target and destroy different cancer cell types. However, because to a paucity of human studies, doctors have warned against its usage in cancer prevention.
Graviola, usually referred to as soursop, is a plant that grows on trees in tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa.
Although the pulp of the fruit is frequently utilized in juices and smoothies, some UK providers of tropical fruits sell it in its organic form.
"Soursop is high in vitamin C and antioxidants known to boost immune health," claims WebMD.
According to research, it boosts the immune system's defense against infections and encourages the destruction of free radicals.
You should be aware of these cancer symptoms and indicators (Image: EXPRESS.CO.UK).
Studies on the fruit's impact on cancer have led some researchers to hypothesize that it might aid in the targeted destruction of cancerous cells.
According to research cited in an article by Constantino Mazzanobile from the Department of Mental Health at New York University published in the Journal of Yoga, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Graviola's effects on cancer were not only comparable to those of Adriamycin in laboratory studies, but also blatantly outperformed it.
The study, which was written up in the Journal of Natural Products, claimed that two chemicals isolated from the seeds had effects similar to those of the drug Adriamycin, which is frequently used in chemotherapy.
According to Mr. Mazzanobile, a plant chemical has a killing capacity 10,000 times greater than adriamycin for the colon's malignant cells.
Even Purdue University researchers discovered that Graviola leaf extracts effectively destroyed cancer cells in at least six different cancer kinds, with particular success against prostate cancer and pancreatitis cells.
This is significant given that one in eight men in the UK are now affected by prostate cancer, according to current statistics.
The Chief Scientific Officer of London Laboratory, Dr. Quinton Fivelman, stated: "For the first time, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Britain, ahead of breast cancer and lung cancer."
Contrary to chemotherapy, the soursop extract appears to also be effective against breast and colon cancer cells while sparing normal cells.
Various types of liver cancer cells can be killed by graviola extracts, according to additional laboratory investigations.
Some tropical fruit distributors sell sourps (Image: Getty).
This was supported by a body of studies that demonstrated the carcinogenic effects of soursop on cancer cells and was published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2016.
Crude extract samples showed varying degrees of cytotoxicity toward breast cancer cell lines, according to the researchers.
"The results indicate that [the extract] is a promising candidate for cancer treatment, especially in breast cancer, and deserves much further research as an alternative to conventional drugs," they concluded.
The pulp extract has an impact on prostate cancer cells in mice, which are typically found to be resistant to chemotherapy medicines, according to animal research.
However, it seems that there isn't enough proof to back up claims that the fruit extract can treat or prevent human cancer. This indicates that there is insufficient knowledge about the fruit's efficacy and safety.
Scientists are, however, concerned about the fruit's side effects because some study indicates that the fruit's compounds may contribute to movement abnormalities and nerve alterations.
According to Cancer Research UK, "the nerve changes may result in symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease."
According to laboratory studies, some components of Graviola can harm nerves. It enters the brain through the bloodstream.
The fruit's safety and effectiveness in humans have not been proven, thus doctors advise against eating it to prevent cancer.