Wasabi has long been renowned for its flavor complexities and culinary importance. But what’s less known about Wasabi is its potential anti-cancer properties. Recent studies demonstrate Wasabi’s cancer treatment abilities. We know—it's a hard to believe. But the science is there. Check out this article on Wasabi’s anti-cancer properties and see for yourself!

ANTI-CANCER, ANTI-OXIDANT, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, AND ANTI-BACTERIAL PROPERTIES

From an article by Dave Tuttle, Life Extension Foundation - www.lef.org

Protecting Your DNA from Lethal Mutations

Wasabi japonica is a member of the Brassica, or cruciferous family of vegetables, which includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, horseradish, and 10 other plants. These vegetables add crunch and flavor to meals and have long been recognized as important parts of a healthy diet because of their fiber content. Recent research has revealed, however, that there is much more to these vegetables than mere fiber. They contain high levels of glucosinolates, a group of compounds that are converted to isothiocyanates by the enzyme myrosinase when the plant cells are damaged by harvesting, cutting, or chewing. It is the isothiocyanates that give these vegetables their sharp flavors. Wasabi, the green, pungent horseradish usually served with sushi, is one of the most potent sources of isothiocyanates among all plant species.

The isothiocyanates do more than add flavor to a meal. A Japanese study found that allyl isothiocyanate has significant antioxidant actions, particularly against the superoxide radical.22 According to the authors, this phytochemical also has an inhibitory effect on the growth of food poisoning bacteria and fungi and showed anti-mutagenic activity against a common carcinogen found in broiled fish and meat.

Three other Japanese studies discovered dramatic benefits from 6-methylsulfinyhexyl isothiocyanate or 6-MITC. Researchers at Japan’s Nagoya University found 6-MITC to be a potent inducer of glutathione S-transferase, one of the most important Phase II detoxification enzymes, due to its high reactivity.23 6-MITC has also been shown to inhibit cell proliferation in human leukemia and stomach cancer cells in vitro by promoting apoptosis within 24 hours.24,25 This may suppress the growth of pre-clinical tumors and contribute to a decreased incidence of cancer. Scientists at Japan’s Kanazawa Gakuin College learned that 6-MITC has similar properties against breast cancer and melanoma cells, influencing not only cell growth but also the cells’ survival.26 The authors concluded that because of the low dosages required, 6-MITC has the potential to control cancer cells of all types.

The importance of 6-MITC has also been demonstrated in experiments with rats and mice. Japanese researchers discovered that oral 6-MITC is easily absorbed and rapidly enters the circulatory system, reaching a maximum level within 30 minutes.27 Blood levels then decrease relatively slowly, allowing it to stimulate higher glutathione S-transferase levels for extended periods. Additional experiments have found that isothiocyanates inhibit rat lung, esophagus, mammary gland, liver, small intestine, colon, and bladder tumorigenesis.28-30 These results have led researchers to consider isothiocyanates to be readily available for cancer chemopreventive agents.

Because cultivating wasabi is complex and time-consuming, and fresh Wasabi japonica rhizomes (roots) are very expensive, most restaurants substitute less expensive European horseradish, adding green color and a touch of real wasabi for flavor. European horseradish, however, does not contain wasabi’s diversity of isothiocyanates. While it shares many of the short-chain isothiocyanates, European horseradish lacks longer-chain isothiocyanates, including 6-MITC. Most other vegetables in the Brassica family are also deficient in these longer-chain isothiocyanates, so it is hard to attain all the potential benefits of these phytochemicals from dietary sources. In addition, cooking these vegetables results in substantial degradation of the myrosinase conversion enzyme. This makes wasabi supplementation an attractive option.

Maximizing Protection Against Mutagens

It has become increasingly difficult to protect our health from the encroachment of carcinogenic chemicals, including pesticides, that are part of the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Providing the body with defensive agents such as curcumin, chlorophyllin, wasabi, and broccoli extract can maximize protection against DNA damage, thus making an important contribution to optimal health and longevity.

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