Do Fresh Lemon Grass Drinks Cause Apoptosis to Cancer Cells?

We have a small plantation of lemon grass or we call it Tanglad in the backyard, my mom loves to plant this and we enjoy it's sweet smelling aroma. We always added it in Chicken soup menu which makes it taste great. But is it really beneficial to our health?  

Fact is the health benefits of Lemon grass are countless. First, studies have shown that it has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It is also known to help cleanse and detoxify the liver, pancreas, kidneys, bladder and the digestive tract.

 

WHAT IS LEMON GRASS?

Lemon Grass

Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus), a native of India, is widely used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. Lemon grass is a perennial, which means once you plant it, the grass comes back year after year. Depending on the area you live in the plant will go dormant in the winter. In harsh climates the plant will need to be potted and wintered indoors. This aromatic herb is used in Caribbean and many types of Asian cooking and has become very popular in the United States. Most of the commercial crops for the United States are grown in California and Florida. Lemon grass is also used for medicinal purposes.

French: Citronnelle

German  : Zitronengras

Italian  : erba di limone

Spanish  : hierba de limon

Indian  : bhustrina, sera

Indonesian  : sere, sereh

Lao  : bai mak nao

Malay  : serai

Sinhalese  : sera

Thai  : takrai

Philippines: tanglad 

WHERE YOU CAN GET LEMON GRASS?

At the supermarket - Chinese, English, Italian, Vietnamese, Indian
They are sold in bundles of 6, 8 or more stalks and costs just a few dollars.
For more info, see Wikipedia
Subject: Fresh Lemon Grass Drink Causes Apoptosis to Cancer Cells.doc
 

Properties

Lemongrass, or Cymbopogon citratus, is a tall, perennial aromatic grass, native to tropical Asia. The fresh and dried leaves of the plant contain volatile oils made up of compounds such as citral and myrcene that are responsible for its immense medicinal value. The infusions of the leaves have been used traditionally to treat a variety of conditions including inflammation, fungal infections, insomnia and high blood pressure, reports the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The recommended dose will vary, based on your age and overall health; your doctor can determine what dosage is right for you. In addition, as a powerful antioxidant, lemongrass protects cells against the harmful effects of unstable free radicals, which interact with the DNA and proteins of cells and damage them, leading to conditions such as cancer.

 

Anti-Cancer Role

Lemongrass extracts inhibit the early phases of liver cancer in laboratory animals and may help slow progression of the disease, according to a study published in the September 2002 journal Cancer Letters. Another study in the October 2009 journal Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology reveals that citral found in the essential oils of lemongrass inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells in the laboratory and induces apoptosis, or the programmed cell death, of the cancer cells. A chemical compound called isointermedeol, isolated from some lemongrass species, also induces the apoptosis of cancer cells, reports Sloan-Kettering. However, these benefits are only proven in laboratory studies, and more research and clinical trials are needed.

Side Effects

Lemongrass is generally safe to use, although side effects such as dizziness, dry mouth, increased appetite and increased urination have been reported occasionally. Lemongrass may also interfere with certain cancer medications, and high doses of lemongrass essential oils may damage the stomach and liver mucosal lining, warns Sloan-Kettering. Taking lemongrass during pregnancy may lead to birth defects.

Precautions

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate production and distribution of lemongrass supplements; make sure the product you intend to use has been tested for safety and efficacy. Find out more about the manufacturer of the supplement, and look for U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention logo indicating it has passed supplement safety tests. Talk to your doctor before using lemongrass to prevent or treat cancer.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/532578-lemongrass-cancer/#ixzz1d8Z1HvG9

 

Definition of Apoptosis

In multicellular organisms, the number and type of cells in a tissue or organ is tightly regulated. Slowing or halting cell replication is one way to limit the number of cells. Another way is through regulated "suicide" of existing cells. This process is called programmed cell death or apoptosis. It is distinct from necrosis, in which cells die due to an acute injury. Instead, cells activate specific molecular signals that result in collapse of the cell structure, fragmentation of the nuclear DNA and cell membrane breakdown. The dying cell is rapidly engulfed by macrophage cells of the immune system.

Apoptosis and Cancer

Apoptosis is a key process that maintains healthy tissue function. Throughout our lifetime, normal metabolic processes or environmental exposures cause some cells to become damaged or mutated. These are typically removed through programmed cell death or apoptosis, a process that causes no local inflammation and leaves neighboring cells unaffected. When this regulatory system is altered, such as by a mutation, cells accumulate inappropriately in the tissue. Defective apoptosis is therefore one cause of tumor growth and progression.

Lemon Grass

Cymbopogon citratus is the scientific name for the lemon grass plant. This aromatic tropical grass is used as an herb for flavoring food and drinks in Asian cuisine. When crushed, both the grass and the fragrant yellow flowers produce a lemony scent. Other common names for the plant include fever grass, sereh, citroengras, te limon and zacate limon. The plant has also been applied in traditional medicine as an antiseptic and is now used in the cosmetic industry.

Anticancer Activity of Lemon Grass

In 2009, researchers at the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine reported that an essential oil from the lemon grass variety Cymbopogon flexuosus was able to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. The lemon grass oil was effective in killing colon cancer cells, neuroblastoma cells and promyelocytic leukemia cells. In addition, the oil caused apoptosis in two types of solid tumors in animal studies. Earlier studies at the Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel indicated that citral, an ingredient in lemon-scented essential oils including those from lemon grass Cymbopogon citratus, causes apoptosis in tumor cells grown in the laboratory.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/525481-do-fresh-lemon-grass-drinks-cause-apoptosis-to-cancer-cells/#ixzz1d8ZJzhKe

Fresh Lemon Grass Drink Causes Apoptosis to Cancer Cells
Apoptosis - noun: a type of cell death in which the cell uses specialized cellular machinery to kill itself; a cell suicide mechanism that enables metazoans to control cell number and eliminate cells that threaten the animal's survival.

 
Health Benefits of Lemon Grass:

• It contains an antibacterial and antifungal properties
• It helps to detoxify the liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and the digestive tract.
• Helps boost the immune system
• Helps reduce uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats
• It helps alleviates indigestion and gastroenteritis.
• Helps improve the skin by reducing acne and pimples
• It helps tone the muscle and tissues.

• Helps in menstrual troubles
• Helps reduce blood pressure and improve blood circulation
• Helps reduce cellulite
• Act as sedative for the central nervous system.
• May help prevent colon cancer.
• Helps in reducing fevers
• Help in flatulence and colic
• Relieves arthritic pain and rheumatism

Lemon grass for Cooking: The leaves and base of lemon grass are used as a food flavoring especially in Southeast Asian dishes. The long thin grey-green leaves are tough and fibrous, the outside leaves and the tips are usually chopped very finely or discarded from the dish before it is served.

How to Use Essential Oil: Apply 2 drops of concentrated lemongrass oil per ounce of organic unrefined almond oil, olive oil or any of you favorite oil. You can use the mixture to your skin as massage oil, lotion and moisturizer. As a relaxing scent add 1 - 2 drops in a cloth and inhale to relax your senses.

How to make Lemon grass Herbal Tea:

• Fresh Leaves: Pour 2 cups of water to ¼ cup lemon grass leaves, then boil and simmer for 3minutes. Let is cool and drink.
• Dried Leaves: Pour a cup of boiling water over 2 teaspoons of dried lemon grass leaves. Steep for 5-10 minutes before drinking.