Ground-breaking study: Bee propolis may have anti-cancer effects
Staff Writer |
Bee propolis is the gummy substances collected by bees from the buds and sap of conifer trees and plants.
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Propolis was used for centuries by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans as a safe remedy for a variety of maladies.
Now modern research has discovered amazing antioxidant properties within propolis, including flavonoids and phenolic acids.
In particular, recent studies have narrowed their investigations to a particular compound found in bee propolis called Cape and the effect it seems to have on cancer.
Ground-Breaking NYU Study: CAPE and Bee Propolis for Breast Cance
CAPE stands for caffeic acid phenethyl ester.
It is a powerful natural biological compound (polyphenol) found in a number of plants and is acquired from propolis in honeybee hives.
Studies have concluded that CAPE has not only antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, but cytotoxic properties as well when it comes to breast cancer and other cancer cells.
Of special interest to those with breast cancer or those wanted to prevent it is the amazing results of an in vitro study on bee propolis, CAPE and breast cancer conducted at New York University (NYU) in 2014.
The study report, published in the journal Cancer Science and Therapy, stated that “CAPE affects genes associated with tumor cell growth and survival, angiogenesis and chemoresistance.â€
According to the NYU researchers, Cape’s effectiveness on breast cancer is caused in part by its role as a “histone deacetylase inhibitor.â€
Histone inhibitors are enzymes which assist in the modulation of tumor suppressor genes; they have the ability to block harmful gene expression and prevent uncontrolled cellular replication, which is a hallmark of cancer growth.
In fact, during cancer, tumor suppressor genes are systematically turned off.
Some synthetically-produced pharmaceutical drugs defined as “histone deacetylase inhibitors†are currently being used in chemotherapy for certain kinds of cancer such as lymphoma, as well as for some neurodegenerative diseases.
Excitingly, the NYU study also found that propolis as a whole enhanced the healing potential of CAPE, restoring the normal functioning of DNA and “turning back on†mechanisms which can fight cancer. According to the NYU scientists,
“CAPE and propolis are naturally occurring epigenetic therapeutic agents.
The obvious upside to using CAPE in whole propolis form is that when administered in this way, CAPE can be absorbed into the body naturally, enhanced by the over 300 other phytonutrients within propolis.
And, of course unlike pharmaceutical drugs, it comes with it absolutely no toxic side effects. ■