Pineapple Enzyme Kills Cancer Without Killing You

Posted By Dr. Mercola | December 26 2011 | 267 views

A study found that bromelain -- an enzyme that can be extracted from pineapple stems -- was actually superior to the chemo-agent 5-fluorauracil (5-FU) in treating cancer in animal tests.  5-FU has been used as a cancer treatment for close to four decades, but it has severe side effects, often killing or irreversibly damaging healthy cells and tissue as well as cancerous ones.

Bromelain, however, like a number of other natural compounds, exhibits an effect called "selective cytotoxicity."  It is able to induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) within cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells and tissue unharmed.

According to Green Med Info:

"Keep in mind that bromelain, like all natural substances, will never receive FDA drug approval. Capital, at the present time, does not flow into the development of non-patentable (i.e. non-profitable) cancer therapies, even if they work, are safe and extremely affordable ... Until we compel our government to utilize our tax dollars to invest in this type of research, there will be no level playing field in cancer treatment ... Or, some of us may decide to take our health into our own hands, and use the research, already freely available on possible natural cancer treatment, to inform our treatment decisions".

Sources:

  Green Med Info December 24, 2011