Eating foods like
celery and parsley leaves, which naturally contain flavanoids and apigenin, can
help prevent leukemia, some Netherlands scientists said a while ago.
Maikel Peppelenbosch
from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands said the experiment showed
that the components of apigenin commonly found in fruits and vegetables could
stop the development of two types of cells in leukemia and prevent
opportunities for survival, as quoted by Reuters.
Leukemia or blood
cancer is a diverse group of diseases and anti-neoplastic activity
characterized by normal development or by malignant transformation of
blood-forming cells in the bone marrow and lymphoid tissue.
Normal cells in the
bone marrow are replaced by normal or abnormal cells. Abnormal cells that come
out of the bone marrow and are found in peripheral blood. Leukemia cell affects
hematopoietic or the formation process of normal blood cells and immunity of
sufferers.
Apigenin
The findings show
apigenin can be promising in the prevention of leukemia, said Peppelenbosch.
But he warned that
his study also found that components also had resistance to chemotherapy, and
stated that it might influence interventions on standard treatment to people
already diagnosed leukemia.
"Apigenin may be
is a useful deterrent for leukemia, but cannot be consumed together with
chemotherapy for diseases definite positive because it can interfere with the
positive impact of treatment," Peppelenbosch wrote in a study in the
scientific journal Cell Death and Disease.
Flavanoids are
ingredients that contain anti-oxidants that protect cells from damage by oxygen
molecules.
Previous research has
shown that apigenin, which is found in celery, parsley, red wine, tomato sauce
and other foods made from herbs, is also thought helpful to give a protection
for eggs ovarian cancer.
Hypertension
Meanwhile,
cat-whiskers and celery are believed to have the benefit of curing many
diseases. Many people believe in their benefits solely from the experiences of
others. Clinical trials conducted on both of these plants are proven, a mixture
of cat-whiskers and celery is very effective in reducing hypertension.
Indonesia is one
country that is rich in medicinal plants so there is a new hope for people with
hypertension not to depend on Pharmacological drugs. This fact can be seen from
the large number of traditional medicines or bio-pharmaceuticals for treating
hypertension which are officially circulated and consumed by the public.
One of the well-known
bio-pharmaceuticals today is Tensigard, which is formulation by consist of
cat-whiskers (orthosiphon stamineus bent) and celery (apium graviolens). In a
phase two clinical trial, these bio-pharmaceuticals is proven can reduce blood
pressure in animal trials cats and in healthy humans and hypertensive subjects
in a limited number.
Celery is known to
contain active compounds that can reduce blood pressure, namely apigenin (which
functions as a calcium antagonist) and mannitol which functions as a diuretic.
While cat-whiskers are proven can reduce blood pressure in humans. The diuretic
effect on cat-whiskers that dominant is indeed needed to reduce high blood
pressure.
This clinical trial
was conducted to prove whether Tensigard as a traditional drug consisting of
celery extract and cat-whiskers can reduce high blood pressure in people with
mild and moderate hypertension, including determining whether there is an
effect of damage in treatment bio-pharmaceutical.