Monthly Archives: January 2013

The Dr Oz Show Explains Health Benefits of Red Palm Oil Particularly Due to its Tocotrienols

The Dr Oz Show, a widely followed television series focusing on personal health and integrative medicine hosted by multi-awarded heart surgeon Dr Oz, recently presented its views on the health benefits of red palm oil from the fruit of the oil palm tree (Elais guineensis).

In the show’s January 3, 2013 episode, Dr Oz and his guest, Bryce Wylde, recommend red palm oil particularly for its tocotrienol, a novel form of vitamin E found in the oil palm fruit. On his show Dr Oz called the red palm oil as the “most miraculous find of 2013”. According to Dr. Oz, tocotrienols possess stellar antioxidation properties and unique health benefits that support heart and brain health.

Sesamin synergistically potentiates the anticancer effects of γ-tocotrienol in mammary cancer cell lines

Akl MR, Ayoub NM, Abuasal BS, Kaddoumi A, Sylvester PW.

Fitoterapia. 2013 Jan;84:347-59.

Summary

γ-Tocotrienol and sesamin are phytochemicals that display potent anticancer activity. Since sesamin inhibits the metabolic degradation of tocotrienols, studies were conducted to determine if combined treatment with sesamin potentiates the antiproliferative effects of γ-tocotrienol on neoplastic mouse (+ SA) and human (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) mammary cancer cells. Results showed that treatment with γ-tocotrienol or sesamin alone induced a significant dose-responsive growth inhibition, whereas combination treatment with these agents synergistically inhibited the growth of + SA, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 mammary cancer cells, while similar treatment doses were found to have little or no effect on normal (mouse CL-S1 and human MCF-10A) mammary epithelial cell growth or viability. However, sesamin synergistic enhancement of γ-tocotrienol-induced anticancer effects was not found to be mediated from a reduction in γ-tocotrienol metabolism. Rather, combined treatment with subeffective doses of γ-tocotrienol and sesamin was found to induce G1 cell cycle arrest, and a corresponding decrease in cyclin D1, CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, phospho-Rb, and E2F1 levels, and increase in p27 and p16 levels. Additional studies showed that the antiproliferative effect of combination treatment did not initiate apoptosis or result in a decrease in mammary cancer cell viability. Taken together, these findings indicate that the synergistic antiproliferative action of combined γ-tocotrienol and sesamin treatment in mouse and human mammary cancer cells is cytostatic, not cytotoxic, and results from G1 cell cycle arrest.

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Effects of Tocotrienol-Enriched Fraction of Palm Oil of Serum Lipids in Hypercholesterolemic Subjects

David Heber, Center for Human Nutrition, UCLA

Terminated

Objective: To evaluate cholesterol-suppressive actions of tocotrienol-enriched fractions in hypercholesterolemic human subjects.

Study Type:Interventional

Study Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled

Subjects: Hypercholesterolemic subjects

Intervention: Gamma-Delta Tocotrienol (63 mg and 127 mg; Davos Life Science Pte Ltd)

Primary Outcome:

  • Fasting cholesterol levels [time frame: baseline, 4, 8, 12 weeks]
  • Total body fat [time frame: baseline, 4, 8 12 weeks]

Secondary Outcome:

  • Genetic biomarkers for lipid metabolism

Methodology:

The cholesterol suppressive actions of tocotrienol-enriched formulations will be assessed in 99 hypercholesterolemic subjects 37 – 70 years of age, During a two-week run-in period, subjects will be asked to follow the American Heart Association Step 1 dietary regimen and to take a placebo capsule twice daily to determine their ability to comply with the diet and pill regimen. Their fasting cholesterol levels will be tested again after the two-week run-in period.

At this point, they will be randomly assigned to take either a placebo capsule or tocotrienol twice daily. Subjects will have body weight, waist circumference, fasting lipids and other biomarkers measured at 0, 4, 8 and 12 weeks

More Using Palm Oil Vitamin E

Ooi Tee Ching

A Life Saver: As more medical researchers all over the world discover the unique ability of palm oil vitamin E in seeking and killing cancer cells, Malaysia steps up funding for such studies in the hope of saving more lives.

Over the last 30 years, scientific studies have shown that palm oil vitamin E, particularly the tocotrienols, is a far more potent antioxidant than tocopherols.

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