Amla vs. Cancer Cell Invasion

Indian gooseberries can block cancer cell growth, but tumor growth is just half the picture. You could have a tumor the size of a watermelon, as long as it doesn’t spread. So these researchers took human breast cancer cells, and basically put them on a block of Jell-O, to see if the Indian gooseberries—amla—could prevent the invasion of the cancer into the Jell-O.

So here’s the control. 100% invasion; the breast cancer cells just burrow right in and effectively metastasize. Here’s if you infuse the Jell-O with the standard chemotherapy drug Taxol, which we talked about before; cuts invasion in half. Then they used tiny doses of amla, down in this range here, where it’s not even really affecting the growth much. And, as you can see, the anti-invasive effect of the Indian gooseberries was almost as good as the chemo.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by MaryAnn Allison.

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• Ngamkitidechakul C, Jaijoy K, Hansakul P, Soonthornchareonnon N, Sireeratawong S. Antitumour effects of Phyllanthus emblica L.: induction of cancer cell apoptosis and inhibition of in vivo tumour promotion and in vitro invasion of human cancer cells. Phytother Res. 2010 Sep;24(9):1405-13.

Image thanks to Hari Prasad Nadig / Flickr

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• berries
• breast cancer
• cancer
• chemotherapy
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• India
• medications