薑與癌症

美國研究人員28日公佈的一項研究結果顯示，薑中所含的一種成分具有抑制實驗鼠體內人類結腸癌細胞生長的功效。姜的獨特氣味主要來自於這種名為6-薑醇的物質。明尼蘇達大學研究人員在美國癌症研究協會的一個學術會議上報告說，他們在研究中將40只實驗鼠分成兩組，這些鼠都接受人類結腸癌細胞注射，但其中20只鼠在注射癌細胞前後分別攝入6-薑醇，劑量是每週三次，每次0.5毫克。另外20只實驗鼠以同樣頻率攝入稀乙醇溶液，充當對照組。

實驗結果表明，攝入6-薑醇的實驗鼠體內癌細胞生長速度比對照組明顯要慢。例如，實驗鼠體內首批腫瘤約在注射癌細胞15天後形成，此時攝入6-薑醇的實驗鼠僅有4只體內出現可以檢測到的腫瘤，而對照組中體內形成腫瘤的實驗鼠數目高達13只。攝入6-薑醇的20只實驗鼠體內都形成腫瘤的時間，也比對照組20只實驗鼠明顯滯後，前者為接受癌細胞注射後38天，後者是28天。

明尼蘇達大學已就利用6-姜醇作為抗癌製劑提交了專利申請。這所大學的研究人員計畫下一步僅在鼠體內腫瘤長到特定大小時讓其攝入6-薑醇，以研究該物質在臨床上究竟有多大應用潛力。

除了薑可能具有抗癌功效的發現外，其他研究人員當天在同一個會議上還報告了有關中草藥半支蓮和綠茶抗癌用途的最新研究成果。內布拉斯加州協和學院研究人員的實驗顯示，半支蓮能延緩鼠體內前列腺腫瘤的生長。亞利桑那癌症中心研究人員對118名抽煙比較多的人進行實驗後發現，喝綠茶可以有效降低吸煙者尿液中化學物質8-OHdG的含量，人體在DNA(去氧核糖核酸)受損後往往會釋放出這種物質。研究人員稱，這意味著綠茶對防止與癌症相關的人體DNA損傷可能會有所幫助。

http://health.enorth.com.cn/system/2003/10/31/000660159.shtml

A Cancer Killer in the Kitchen
By Jon Herring
The powerful healing effects of ginger have been well documented. It's a proven remedy for upset stomach. Reams of studies show that it inhibits inflammation. And there is substantial evidence that it fights cancer too.
For instance, a recent University of Michigan study showed that when ginger was added to ovarian cancer cells in the laboratory, it caused the cancer cells to self-destruct (a process known as "apoptosis"). In a separate study at the University of Minnesota , researchers injected colon cancer cells into mice that were bred to have no immune system.
Half of these mice were routinely fed gingerol, the main active
component in ginger. The researchers found that the mice that were fed gingerol lived longer, their tumors were smaller, and the cancer did not spread as widely as in the control group.
With all these health benefits, you should be using ginger as often as you can. The best way I've found to get a healthy serving of ginger is to juice it. (The brand of juicer I use is an Omega.) Two or three days a week, I juice an apple or two, some carrots, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, and a big piece of ginger root.
The ginger gives the drink a great flavor and a powerful anti-cancer kick. I highly recommend that you try it.
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