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Pomegranate Juice vs. Prostate Cancer?
Sept. 20, 2007 -- Natural chemicals in pomegranate juice may slow the growth of prostate cancer, according to scientists at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
The key pomegranate chemicals, called ellagitannins, are also found in foods including strawberries, raspberries, and muscadine grapes, note Navindra Seeram, PhD, and colleagues.
Their theory is that when someone drinks pomegranate juice, the juice releases ellagitannins, which get digested into chemicals called urolithins, which may fight prostate cancer.
Seeram's team tested that notion in their lab.
The scientists bought pomegranates and made their own pomegranate extract from pomegranate skin. They closely measured the ellagitannins in their pomegranate juice.
Next, the researchers tested pomegranate juice against human prostate cancer cells grafted into male mice.
The scientists fed the pomegranate juice to some of the mice. They injected the pomegranate juice into other mice's abdomens.
For comparison, the researchers fed or injected other mice with a placebo solution containing no pomegranate juice.
The prostate tumors grew more slowly in the mice that got the pomegranate juice orally or by injection, compared with mice that got the placebo.
Finally, the mice got urolithins orally or by abdominal injection. Those pomegranate-derived chemicals gathered in the mice's prostate, colon, and intestinal tissues more than in other organs.
Add it all up, and it looks like pomegranate ellagitannins may slow (but not totally destroy) prostate cancer in mice.
More studies are needed to see if pomegranate juice works the same way in people, Seeram and colleagues write in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
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Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
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