Soursop Cancer Truth, is this a Hoax?

So you've been hearing about this all magical fruit called soursop with cancer healing ability. This of course sounds way too good and too easy to be true. Questions like: What do studies say on soursop's cancer benefits? Why did they take so long to discover such a simple cure? Why is this thing such a secret if its so great? Does this fruit only have the ability to target cancer cells or are there more health benefits? Where can I buy the soursop fruit? How much of it does one have to consume in order to reap these benefits? If you are a cancer patient or you're close to someone who is, it is definitely worth your time to explore the possibility of adding soursop to the cancer treatment being administered. The Soursop Fruit Before we look at the soursop as cancer treatment let us first look at the botanical properties. The soursop fruit (not soursop or sour sap), also known as graviola (Portuguese) guanbana (Spanish) or corossol (French) is a large, green fruit with a dull spiked surface, found mainly in Tropical regions. It is born from a small evergreen tree with dark green leaves. While the name suggests that the fruit is of a sour flavor, particular varieties of the soursop are found to be rather sweet in taste. Like many other fruits it may be eaten once ripened by tearing off the green surface. A ripe soursop fruit can be very soft and can be easily torn apart without the use of a blade. On the inside is a soft creamy pulp embedded with numerous black seeds. Soursop has few seedless varieties, but they are rare and tend to have fibrous flesh. The pulp, the seeds and even the soursop leaves can be of significant health benefits. As can be deduced the soursop cannot be grown in low climatic regions for it requires much humidity to survive. Through time and based on numerous scientific studies, its use has evolved to alternative cancer treatment, as apposed to being consumed for mere pleasure. It can also be used for making juice, ice cream and even soursop leaf tea.

Soursop and Cancer Let us first look at what cancer really is before we delve into the healing powers of the soursop fruit as it pertains to cancer. Most of us know of cancer and know that it is a serious illness but many do not understand what cancer essentially is and how it works. Our body is made up of a countless number of cells. In order for development and growth to take place there must be cell division, new cells are formed and old cells die all in a natural cycle. Cancer however is the disruption of this cycle, they do not die like normal cells, they just continue to grow. This growth abnormality is as a direct result of damage to the cell's DNA. Usually when the DNA of a cell is damaged it would be repaired or if not the cell would ultimately die. With cancer cells however there is no repair and no death just constant growth. When cells begin to divide and grow beyond control and further they begin to affect other tissue in the body those disruptive cells are categorized as cancer cells. There are over one hundred different types of cancer, all name based on the original cells which caused the disruption. Therefore Lung Cancer is the uncontrollable growth and spread of cells in the lungs, Breast Cancer pertains to the growth of cells in the breast, etc. So contrary to common belief the type of cancer someone has is not indicative of where the cancer is, it only points out where the cancer started. Nutrient Content Extensive research has shown that the soursop pulp contains 81% moisture, 3% titratable acidity and 24% non-reducing sugar. The seed contains: 2% protein, 8% fibre, 13% ash, 8% moisture, 20% fat and 47% carbohydrate. Nutrition value/100g is as follows: Soursop Nutrition Facts Polyunsaturated Fat Saturated Fat Protein Dietary Fibre Carbohydrates Calcium Calories Phosphorus Fibre 0.06g 0.5g 1.0g 3.3g 16.84g 10.3mg 66 27.7mg 0.79g Iron Thiamine Vitamin C Riboflavin Sodium Lysine Tryptophan Niacin Methionine Ascorbic Acid 0.64mg 0.11mg 20.6g 0.05mg 14mg 60mg 11mg 1.28mg 7mg 29.6mg

Soursop vs Chemotherapy Chemotherapy: In short, chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. It is also called "chemo." Chemotherapy can be used to: * Destroy cancer cells * Stop cancer cells from spreading * Slow the growth of cancer cells

Chemotherapy can be administered alone or with other treatments. It can help other treatments work better. For example, you may get chemotherapy before or after surgery or radiation therapy. Or you may get chemotherapy before a peripheral blood stem cell transplant. The side effects of chemotherapy include and are not limited to: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Anemia Appetite changes Bleeding Constipation Diarrhea Fatigue Hair loss Infection Memory changes Mouth and throat changes Nausea and Vomiting Nerve changes Pain Sexual and fertility changes in men Skin and nail changes Swelling Urination changes

Soursop Soursop can be used to: * Destroy cancer cells * Stop cancer cells from spreading * Slow the growth of cancer cells Soursop is an all natural form of cancer treatment that is not recommended to be used on its own due to lack of human testing on the effectiveness of the fruit against cancer. However, it may be taken along with other forms of cancer treatment to strengthen the desired effects on the cancer cells and it can be taken as a means of prevention before cancer is even developed.

The side effects of soursop include and are not limited to: * Parkinson's disease * Fatigue Some may go as far as saying that soursop is "10,000 times stronger than chemo", as claimed by one study. What is certain without doubt, and proven through scientific study, is that the soursop, with its annonaceous acetogenins is more effective at targeting the cells that cancer patients want to target ie the cancer cells. There are still side effects associated with the ingesting of soursop, the main one being Parkinson's disease. Studies have shown that if the alkaloids associated with soursop are ingested in large amounts it may lead to this disorder of the central nervous system. The exact source of the study which revealed this is unknown but it goes contrary to what the primary studies prove. Parkinson's disease results from the death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra, a region of the midbrain. This would imply that the soursop kills cells other than cancer cells when taken in large amounts, specifically dopamine-generating cells. A simple solution to this problem would be to take soursop in moderation, therefore the risk of Parkinson's disease would be eliminated. Another listed side effect of soursop is fatigue which makes sense since it is sometimes used as a sedative by herbalists. The parts of the plant that are usually used in this manner are the leaves and the bark therefore the theory stands that if ingesting only the actual fruit for soursop cancer treatment, the risk of being fatigued is lower. The ultimate decision rests in the hands of the individual opting for the cancer treatment. Chemotherapy is a trusted a widely used form of cancer treatment while soursop cancer treatment can be deemed as a "home remedy". They both have side effects to take into account, but its clear where the weight of it lies. Many cancer patients opt for taking soursop along with their chemo and experience no complications, so the two do not have to be taken in isolation. There is no reason why soursop should not be an option when faced with cancer. It is an all natural fruit just like an apple or a grape therefore one should not have great fear of experiencing side effects. When examining the facts it is definitely a wise to consider taking soursop for cancer. Soursop vs Radiation Radiation is a form of cancer treatment that uses high energy radioactive material to damage cancer cells by killing their DNA. There are three types of radiation therapy: internal, external and systematic. Internal radiation is administered by placing a radioactive substance in the body near the source of the cancer cells to kill them. External radiation therapy is done by a machine outside the body which generates gamma rays, x-rays and other charged particles and emits them into the body. Systemic radiation therapy uses radioactive substances, such as radioactive iodine, that travel in the blood to kill cancer cells. It shouldn't be necessary to say much more after simply stating how radiation therapy works. High levels of radiation are not healthy or acceptable under any normal circumstances however it is accepted due to the urgency required for treatment by many cancer patients. So I now ask: can you eat a soursop under normal circumstances? The answer is undoubtedly yes! I will again stress that soursop is an all natural fruit not a drug so why do you find it so hard to believe that nature is able to provide answers that science "claims" to not have found. What is most remarkable about radiation is that it is able to kill cancer cells; well of course it can its radioactivity going through the human body. However along with those dead cancer cells one must forfeit normal cells because unlike the soursop radiation cannot specifically target the mutated cancer cells. Even with internal and systematic radiation which are the most isolated forms one must still suffer the death of perfectly healthy cells in the body. On this note I'm going to have a glass of cold soursop juice.

Soursop Benefits

Soursop has been a natural healer to illnesses and diseases particularly cancer for decades. Though its medical abilities are not widely known it should not be underestimated. The soursop benefits are not limited to but would include: effective antidepressant antispasmodic (prevents muscle spasms) hypotensive (can lower blood pressure) antibacterial cardiotonic (regulates the heart) vasodilator ( widen blood vessels) anti-tumor anti-cancerous The miracle healing powers of soursop is not limited to the fruit. Studies have shown that other parts of the plant can also be of tremendous benefit: Seeds: antiparasitic ( a natural remedy for lice) Bark: lower fever Leaves: speed up the healing of wounds and serves as a sedative unripe soursop: aid digestion Records show that soursop was used as an important part of herbal medicine in Amazonia, West Indies, Barbados, Togo, Borneo, Suriname, Brazil, Peru, Cook Islands, Malaysia, Curacao, Madagascar, Dominica, Jamaica, Guatemala, Haiti, Guyana and Guam. The traditional uses of the soursop plant were numerous and its benefits are plenteous. Soursop benefits are diverse and cater to various ailments. The flower was believed to be helpful for bronchitis and cough. Problems like colitis, parasites, diarrhea, fevers, dysentery, mouth sores, hydropsy and lactogogue were treated with the soursop fruit. The fruit also possesses tranquilizing properties. Soursop seeds were considered affective for astringent, emetic, carminative, head lice, insecticide, skin parasites, parasites, worms. The bark of the tree was asthma, asthenia, difficult child birth, coughs, hypertension, parasites, diabetes and as a heart tonic. It was believed to possess sedative properties. The soursop leaf was used for a variety of different problems including arthritis and rheumatism in which the leaf is crushed mixed with olive oil and applied externally. It relieved symptoms of bronchitis, colic cough, asthma, and asthenia and was considered potent enough to fight ulcers and infections. It took care of parasites, worms, diarrhea, dysentery, indigestion, liver problems, gall bladder disorders, nervousness, palpitation, hypertension, malaria, diabetes, edema, lactogogue, grippe, fever and various skin disorders were treated with the leaf of soursop Plant. The roots of the plant were specially used for diabetes and spasms and used as sedatives. As the benefits of soursop gained attention, researches were conducted, and it was discovered that the plant produces a set of phytochemicals known

as the Annonaceous Acetogenins. These chemicals have powerful anticancer and antitumor properties and are hailed as a miracle for cancer patients, the biggest soursop benefit of all. The acetogenins show powerful cytotoxity towards various kinds of cancer cells and illuminate them. Researches prove that these chemicals are much more potent than the currently use chemotherapy drugs and do not harm healthy cells like the chemotherapy drugs do causing hair loss and extreme nausea. The active cytotoxity against cancer cells found in soursop has powerful antitumor characteristics. The Annonaceous Acetogenins are very good and effective inhibitors of enzymatic activity that is carried out in tumor or cancerous cells hence they do no harm to normal healthy cells. Researches published by the Purdue University claimed that the acetogenins were very effective in killing tumors that showed resistance to the antitumor medication. A tumor cell needs more energy to run its functions than a normal and healthy cell. The acetogenins work in such a way that they block the ATP going to the tumor cell and eventually the cell is unable to sustain its functions and dies away. So far 14 different strains of acetogenins have shown remarkable ATP inhibiting characteristics that are specially effective in case of breast cancer. The researches conducted so far indicate that the acetogenins show a defined toxicity against tumor cells present in prostate adenocarcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma cell lines, human lymphoma cell lines, human breast solid tumor lines, liver cancer cell lines and pancreatic carcinoma cell lines. Through out the last century researchers have worked hard to find out the effects and side effects Griviola might have on the cancer and tumor cells. It will take time to finally come up with a drug that will be able to fight tumors and cancers without putting the patient in more pain than he is already in, even though a specific drug is not available yet but soursop supplements are recommended by Doctors.

What Research Shows on Soursop

One of the first scientific references to the soursop fruit in the United States was by the National Cancer Institute. The soursop was part of a plant-screening program in 1976 that showed its leaves and stems were effective in attacking and destroying malignant cells. These results however, were part of an internal NCI report and were, for some reason, never released to the public. The company which had done thorough research on this cure came upon one stumbling block on its finishing phase. The cure was too natural and under federal law in America, governed by FDA, therefore it wasn't patentable. The company then made the decision not to release its findings leaving the rest of the world ignorant to the discovery they had made, simply because profits could not be earned. However, one scientist from that very same research team decided to go against the company's decision, risking his career, he contacted another company dedicated to harvesting medical plants from the Amazon Rainforest and announced the discovery. Since then, there have been several promising cancer studies on soursop. However, there are no records of the soursop extract being tested on cancer patients. No clinical trials exist which is why many people are unaware of its ability. Even though clinical trials are typically the benchmark mainstream doctors and journals use to judge a treatments value, soursop has been shown to kill cancer cells in vitro in at least 20 laboratory tests. A study conducted at Catholic University of South Korea revealed that two chemicals extracted from soursop seeds showed "selective cytotoxicity comparable with Adriamycin" for breast and colon cancer

cells. The chemicals targeted and killed malignant breast and colon cells in a test tube comparable to the commonly used chemotherapy drug Adriamycin. Another study, published in the Journal of Natural Products, showed that soursop outperforms Adriamycin in laboratory tests. Results revealed a chemical found in soursop selectively kills colon cancer cells at "10,000 times the potency of Adriamycin."

Purdue University researchers recently found that leaves from the soursop tree killed cancer cells "among six human-cell lines" and were especially effective against prostate and pancreatic cancer cells. In a separate study, Purdue researchers showed that extracts from the soursop leaves are extremely effective in isolating and killing lung cancer cells. The remarkable thing to note here is that not only is it incredibly effective in the destruction of cancer cells but it isolates them and causes no harm to other normal cells, quite unlike chemotherapy. U.S. researchers Lana Dvorkin-Camiel and Julia S. Whelan reviewed research on the use of extracts from tropical American plants in the treatment of infectious diseases. In their assessment of soursop, published in the December 2008 issue of the "Journal of Dietary Supplements," the two cited multiple in-vitro studies that demonstrate soursop's effectiveness against various microbial and parasitic agents. Specifically, soursop appears to be effective against such parasites as Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania panamensis, Nippostrongylus braziliensis, Artemia salina and Trichomonas vaginalis, as well as against the Herpes simplex virus. In a Nigerian animal study, methanolic extracts from soursop were tested on laboratory animals in which diabetes had been chemically induced. Researchers in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Obafemi Awolowo University divided 30 laboratory rats into three groups for testing. Group A, the control group, consisted of 10 rats in which no changes were induced. Rats in Group B and C were injected with streptozotocin to induce a state of hyperglycemia, or diabetes. Over the course of four weeks, rats in Group C were injected daily with a soursop extract. In findings published in the October 2008 issue of the "African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines," the research team reported that test animals in Group C showed significantly lower blood glucose levels than those in the untreated Group B, confirming the antihyperglycemic properties of the soursop extract. In a study conducted by Taiwanese researchers, new and known acetogenins extracted from the seeds and leaves of soursop were tested in the laboratory against two human hepatoma, or liver cancer, cell lines. The three new acetogenins extracted from seeds were designated muricin H, muricin I and cisannomontacin, while the two extracted from leaves were named cis-corossolone and annocatalin. In an article published in the April 2002 issue of the "Journal of Natural Products," the researchers reported that all five of the new soursop acetogenins exhibited strong activity against the cancer cells in in-vitro testing.
Extract Don Amerman

Soursop Leaves

Soursop leaves are an essential element of the healing powers of this fruit and plant. Some of the medicinal properties tied to the fruit can be made even more effective when using the soursop leaves. These benefits are as follows:

Fever

The Soursop leaves have long been used in places like Haiti, Jamaica and the West Indies to treat fever. The leaves along with the juice of the soursop fruit are supposed to help cool body temperatures, according to the Raintree Nutrition's Tropical Plant Database. In Peruvian culture, tea made from soursop leaves reportedly helps relieve mucous membrane inflammation, and the bark promotes cooling in people with fevers.
Digestive

South American and Caribbean cultures treat illnesses such as diarrhea and dysentery with unripened fruit, while the soursop leaves reportedly help kill off parasites and tapeworms when eaten. The juice also supposedly helps cleanse the body of parasites and dangerous toxins.
Cancer

Though there is no scientific study on human beings, the lab research has convincing evidence to support claims of soursop leaves healing cancer. No cancer medication with soursop leaves exist as of yet, but they are commonly used as a supplement during cancer therapy. Speak with your doctor first if you plan on taking soursop leaves to help treat cancer.
Depression

Some herbalists believe the alkaloids in soursop leaves can reduce depression symptoms by inhibiting the brain's uptake of serotonin. The serotonin in your brain regulates moods and impacts emotions such as happiness and sadness. Research on soursop alkaloids indicates, however, that these chemical compounds can cause adverse effects in the nervous system and cause Parkinson's disease if ingested in great amounts. So please use in moderation.
Sedative

A number of South American and Caribbean cultures use soursop leaves, as well as the plant's roots and bark, as a sedative. The plant is also used to treat heart problems. The exact effects, or side effects, of such uses is not known, and no reputable scientific research has been conducted that can support these claims.
Extract Dan Harriman

Soursop Recipes

Soursop Juice

1 Large ripe soursop 2 cups full cream milk/ 1 cup evaporated milk 2 tsp vanilla essence 4-5 cups water White granulated sugar to taste Method: Place the soursop in a large bowl and peel off the outer green skin of the fruit using your hand. Take the white pulp and seeds and squeeze it through a large strainer into a jug or pitcher. Add milk to the pulp extract and stir well while dropping the vanilla essence. Add water to the concentrated juice mixture so that it gets to your desired consistency. Sweeten the juice to your taste.

Soursop Ice Lolly

Makes 20 2 large ripe soursops 2 liters full cream milk 1 cup condensed milk 2 cups evaporated milk 4 tsp vanilla essence White granulated sugar to taste Place the soursop in a large bowl and peel off the outer green skin of the fruit using your hand. Take the white pulp and seeds and squeeze it through a large strainer into a jug or pitcher. Add evaporated milk to the pulp extract and stir well while dropping the vanilla essence. Then slowly stir in the condensed milk, when all is mixed in well add all the full cream milk. Sweeten the ice lolly mixture to your desired sweetness then separate it in small clear bags. Place in the freezer until cold and firm.

Soursop Leaf Tea

4 Large Soursop Leaves 4 Cups of hot water 2 tbsp granulated sugar 2 drops of banana essence Thoroughly wash leaves with running water. Tear the leaves into halves or even quarters. Place them in a jug of hot water and allow to soak for 20 minutes. Stir the leaves into the hot water ensuring that all flavors and nutrients are extracted from them. Remove leaves from hot water and discard. Add sugar and banana essence and stir. NB: Banana essence may be substituted with any essence you desire.

Cancer Fighting Foods

Cancer fighting foods can be found everywhere, not only in the tropical regions of the world. If you are unable to obtain a regular supply of soursop due to geographic restrictions there are many other alternatives. Nature has supplied an artillery of cancer fighting foods and many of us are unaware of it. If you are serious about cancer prevention and possibly cure these foods should be implemented into your diet as much as possible.
Blueberries

If you do not live in a tropical region then the soursop may not be a very convenient form of cancer treatment for you, however blueberries should be a lot easier to come by. Recent studies in mice have shown that blueberries can significantly shrink the size of tumours by approximately 55-60%. Mice with blood vessel tumours who were fed blueberries were able to live twice as long as the mice on the non-blueberry diet. What we need to focus on though is what makes this fruit blue, because those same poly phenol pigments called anthocyanins are responsible for fighting cancer. Studies were conducted by the University of Illinois on the effects of wild blueberries on prostate and liver cancer and it was proven that the fruit is able to prevent cancer in the three stages of initiation, promotion and proliferation, thanks to the anthocyanins and other compounds contained in the fruit. Sterol compounds of the blueberry have been shown to inhibit carcinogen from causing cellular damage in the first stage of cancer while the anthocyanin pigments are able to stop growth and spread of these damaged cells in the latter stages of promotion and proliferation, making blueberries one of the most effective cancer fighting foods.
Avocados

Preliminary studies by Ohio State University have shown that Hass Avocados are able to stop the uncontrollable growth of pre-cancerous cells that lead to oral cancer. Like the soursop, the avocados do not harm normal cells, making it possible to have it as a regular part of your diet. They include Vitamin C, Vitamin E, unsaturated fats and fibre which are all beneficial antioxidants. Avocado also contains high amounts of carotenoid lutein which researchers are now saying can be effective for men in the fight against prostate cancer. Lutein is also beneficial to women; research has shown that women with a higher intake of lutein have a lower risk of getting breast cancer. Breast Cancer risk is also lowered by the primary fat in avocados called Oleic Acid.

Carrots

For quite some time medical experts have recommended carrots for their anti-cancerous properties, however the exact component that makes it a cancer fighting food was only discovered in 2005. Falcarinol, the vegetable's natural pesticide which serves to protect it from fungal diseases can also help us in the prevention of cancer. Studies show that persons who maintain a regular intake of carrots are 33% less likely of developing cancer. These findings were made using raw carrots, therefore it is unsure as to how effective they serve in the fight against cancer when cooked.

Garlic

Have you ever heard this saying; half a clove of garlic a day keeps the cancer away. If you haven't then you must be living under a rock. Garlic is one of the most diversely beneficial herbs in ancient and modern medicine alike and it should be of little surprise that its a cancer fighting food. Garlic, like carrot, is more effective when taken raw, therefore our saying should be; half a clove of raw garlic a day keeps the cancer away. Garlic has been proven to be particularly effective with prostate, colon and stomach cancer. The main component of garlic that inhibits cancer and tumour cells is allyl sulfur. These compounds make cells vulnerable to stress through cell division. The rapid development of cancer cells create an avenue for many stressors, therefore the allyl sulfur targets and destroys these cells.