First of all, C3G is an antioxidant.
Compared to 13 other anthocyanins, it came out tops. Its strength
was 3.5 times that of Trolox, a potent analogue of vitamin
E.12 The antioxidant activity of C3G was shown both in test
tube experiments4,12-14 and in rats fed the compound as part
of their diet.6 In one lab test it showed over 6 times the
potency of vitamin E (?-tocopherol). In another, in which
C3G was tested for the ability to inhibit the oxidation of
fat cells by ultraviolet B light, it was at least 40 times
as potent as vitamin E.14 Oxidative stress and immune suppression
caused by UV light are well-known for their role in the induction
of skin cancers. |
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For people living at high elevations like the Andes, something
in the diet to inhibit the damaging effects of UV light could
be a true cancer preventive. |
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Oxidative stress on the system
produces a state in which there is an excess of oxygen-based
free radicals. To avoid the damage they can cause to cells,
the body produces antioxidants to squelch the free radicals.
If they prove insufficient however, the body suffers. In lab
model of oxidative stress, rats fed a diet containing C3G
for 2 weeks beforehand showed significantly less strain on
their livers, including more rapid restoration of liver stores
of the vitamin.3 In a similar study, rats fed C3G in liquid
form also showed significant protection from markers of oxidative
stress, and liver and tissue injury was lowered. |
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Fed to rats in liquid form,
C3G significantly suppressed acute inflammation brought on
by over-active immune cells and the elevated free radical
activity that attended the pro-inflammatory state, one that
mediates disease states in inflammatory conditions.16 Based
on the results, it’s just possible that this plant pigment
may also suppress the inflammatory response in diseases marked
with inflammation. Expect to hear about more studies of the
purple corn color on that front. |
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Could the anthocyanin pigment
also help prevent cancer? That question was put to the test
in rats exposed to a known environmental carcinogen in their
diet which causes colorectal cancer. Incidentally, the carcinogen
used in the study, known as a heterocyclic amine, is among
around 20 other types found in our cooked meats and fish.
Sure enough, both the early signs of colorectal cancers and
the numbers of malignant and benign tumors that formed in
the colons of rats that had the purple pigment in their feed
were reduced, and there were no adverse effects |
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The oxidation of fats or
lipids in blood serum contributes to a condition known as
atherosclerosis. When rats were fed a diet containing a high
amount of C3G (2 grams per kilo of feed), their blood serum
showed a significantly lower level of oxidation along with
a significant decrease in the susceptibility of their serum
lipids to undergo oxidation. Yet their body’s natural
antioxidants remained unaffected. Another intriguing discovery
in this study was that the rats with C3G in their feed also
showed significant decreases in levels of total cholesterol
— about 16% less. |
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