Blueberries: Nature's Hepatitis C Suppressant
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A new study has recently emerged that puts blueberries in the spotlight. According to Japanese researchers, blueberries are nature’s answer to the Hepatitis C virus. For the estimated 200 million people living with chronic Hepatitis C worldwide, the claim surrounding this popular little blue fruit is hard to believe. To benefit from this discovery, make sure you know exactly what this study demonstrated, which part of the blueberry is most beneficial and realize what else contains blueberry’s Hepatitis C-fighting compound.
To identify better treatment options, Japanese researchers Hiroaki Kataoka and colleagues at the University of Miyazaki searched for agricultural products containing a natural agent to fight the Hepatitis C virus. They discovered that blueberry leaves contained a potent inhibitor of Hepatitis C viral replication. Upon persistent purification of their most effective Hepatitis C-halting extract, the blueberry leaf ingredient responsible was determined to be the antioxidant known as proanthocyanidin.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are known for having the ability to fight everything from colds to cancer to aging to liver disease. Found in many types of foods, antioxidants protect the body’s cells and tissues from toxic, unstable molecules called free radicals. Because they stabilize free radicals by binding with them, antioxidants are adept at preventing tissue damage. However, all antioxidants are not alike:
- Roughly 10,000 chemicals in food act as antioxidants.
- Different antioxidants bind with different kinds of free radicals.
- Different antioxidants gravitate toward different locations.
- Some antioxidants cooperate with one another.
While there are several categories, two of the more celebrated classes of antioxidants include:
- Carotenoids – Consisting mostly of yellow-to-red pigments, some examples include beta-carotene (found in carrots and sweet potatoes), lycopene (found in tomatoes and watermelon) and lutein and zeaxanthin (found in kale and corn).
- Flavonoids – Diverse in their health benefits as well as in the foods that harbor them, examples of flavonoids include proanthocyanidins (found in grape seeds and cranberries), anthocyanins (found in berries), catechins (found in tea and chocolate) and quercetin (found in onions and apples).
The recent finding by Japanese researchers about the value of blueberries in fighting Hepatitis C revolves around proanthocyanidins – an antioxidant abundant in blueberry leaves. Both the fruit and leaves of the blueberry contain high concentrations of flavonoids. The difference between the two is that the fruit is high in anthocyanins, while the leaves are high in proanthocyanidins. Consequently, eating bushels of blueberries may not yield inhibition of the Hepatitis C virus.
More About Proanthocyanidins
Proanthocyanidins are powerful, multi-functioning antioxidants. While many antioxidants are able to inactivate a single pro-oxidant (a precursor to free radicals), proanthocyanidins possess multiple antioxidant capabilities. Besides exhibiting an anti-inflammatory effect, proanthocyanidins can neutralize the following list of harmful cellular substances:
- Superoxide Anions
- Hydroxyl Radicals
- Lipid Peroxide
- Iron
- Xanthine Oxidase
In addition, proanthocyanidins cooperate with vitamin C by helping to neutralize ascorbic oxidase (an enzyme that breaks down vitamin C). Based on Kataoka’s study, we can now add suppression of Hepatitis C viral replication to the long list of health benefits provided by proanthocyanidins.
Finding Proanthocyanidin
In actuality, there are some proanthocyanidins in blueberry fruit. However, the amount is minimal, especially when compared to its leaf. Purifying the extract of blueberry leaves is likely to spark a new movement towards natural Hepatitis C treatments. In the interim, there are other sources of this powerful antioxidant.
Pycnogenol is a trademark name for a type of flavonoid found in the bark of the French maritime pine tree. Due to claims of having 50 times the antioxidant capabilities of vitamin E and 20 times that of vitamin C, sales of pycnogenol have boomed recently. Believed to be a precursor to the red, blue and violet pigment in plants, pycnogenol is a proanthocyanidin. Besides pine bark and blueberry leaves, a high concentration of proanthocyanidins can be found in:
- Sorghum
- Red Kidney Beans
- Hazelnuts
- Ground Cinnamon
- Grape Seeds
- Cranberries
The outcome of Kataoka’s work on blueberry leaves and Hepatitis C viral suppression is sure to initiate more research and investigation into proanthocyanidins. Until the mechanism for this flavonoid’s effect on Hepatitis C is better known and quantified, those with Hepatitis C might benefit from eating food sources high in proanthocyanidins or supplementing with extracts of this multi-functioning antioxidant.
References:
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/134/3/613#T1, Concentrations of Proanthocyanidins in Common Foods and Estimations of Normal Consumption, Liwei Gu, et al, Retrieved August 21, 2009, The Journal of Nutrition, March 2004.
http://www.actahort.org/members/showpdf?booknrarnr=715_91, Levels and Distribution of Anthocyanins, Proanthocyanidins, Flavonols, and Hydroxycinnamic Acids in Vaccinium Angustifolium, D. Percival, Retrieved August 21, 2009, ISHS Acta Horticulturae 715: VIII International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture, International Society for Horticultural Science, 2009.
http://www.blueberry.org/health.htm, Blueberries for Health, Retrieved August 21, 2009, U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, 2009.
http://www.chiroweb.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=40247, Proanthocyanidins, G. Douglas Andersen, DC, DACBSP, CCN, Retrieved August 21, 2009, Dynamic Chiropractic, May 1995.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/1020/83/32704/blueberry-leaves-can-fight-hepatitis-c.html, Blueberry Leaves Can Fight Hepatitis C, Kathleen Blanchard, RN, Retrieved August 21, 2009, emaxhealth, 2009.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19531480?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum, Proanthocyanidin from blueberry leaves suppresses expression of subgenomic hepatitis C virus RNA, Takeshita M, et al, Retrieved August 21, 2009, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, August 2009.
http://www.wholeliving.com/article/a-is-for-antioxidants?backto=true, A is for Antioxidants, Retrieved August 21, 2009, Body & Soul Magazine, July/August 2009.
