He cautioned that the study, funded by UF
sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in
acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.
“This was only a cell-culture model and we
don’t want to give anyone false hope,” 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.”
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Other fruits, including grapes, guavas and
mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in
similar studies, he said. 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, slated to conclude in 2006,
will investigate the effects of acai’s antioxidants on healthy
human subjects, Talcott said. 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. So far, only fundamental research has been done on
acai berries, which contain at least 50 to 75 as-yet
unidentified compounds.
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“One reason so little is known about acai
berries is that they’re perishable and are traditionally used
immediately after picking,” he 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.”
Talcott said UF is one of the first
institutions outside Brazil with personnel studying acai
berries. Besides Talcott, UF’s acai research team includes
Susan Percival, a professor with the
food science and
human nutrition department, David Del Pozo-Insfran, a
doctoral student with the department and Susanne Mertens-Talcott,
a postdoctoral associate with the
pharmaceutics department of
UF’s College of
Pharmacy.
Acai berries are produced by a palm tree known
scientifically as Euterpe oleracea, common in floodplain areas
of the Amazon River, Talcott said. 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.
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Historically, Brazilians have used acai
berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, he
said. 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,” 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 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.
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The UF study demonstrates that research on
foods not commonly consumed in the United States is important,
because it may lead to unexpected discoveries, said
Joshua Bomser, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition
and functional foods at The Ohio
State University in Columbus, Ohio.
But familiar produce items have plenty of
health-giving qualities, he said.
“Increased consumption of fruits and
vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases,
including heart disease and cancer,” said Bomser, who researches
the effects of diet on chronic diseases. “Getting at least five
servings a day of these items is still a good recommendation for
promoting optimal health.”
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. —
The Brazilian acai berry, popular in health food contains antioxidants that
destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent
University of Florida study,
one of the first to investigate the fruit’s purported benefits.
