- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Air Quality Better in Northeast, Midwest
- Climate Change Could Sting Allergy, Asthma Sufferers
- Using Music and Sports to Improve Kids' Asthma
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Bitter Melon Extract May Slow, Stop Breast Cancer
- Eight Spiritual Universal Principles in the Art of Practice
- Alternative Treatments May Boost IVF Success
- ANIMAL CARE
- Beware of Dog Bites
- Separation Anxiety, Canine-Style
- Rest Easy. When It Comes to Swine Flu, Your Pet Is Safe
- BONES & JOINTS
- Extra Pounds in Mid-Life Affect Later Mobility
- Arthritis Hits More Than Half of Diabetics
- Returning to the Road Tricky After Injury
- CANCER
- No Verdict Yet on Grape Seed Extract vs. Breast Cancer
- Supplements Might Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
- Supplement Hampers Thyroid Cancer Treatment
- CAREGIVING
- Moms Who Breast-Feed Less Likely to Neglect Child
- Bariatric Surgery Centers Don't Deliver Better Outcomes
- Children's Bath Products Contain Contaminants
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- Health Tip: Are You Anemic?
- Exercise Extends Life of Kidney Patients
- Smog Tougher on the Obese
- COSMETIC
- Gum Chewing May Cut Craving for Snacks
- Study Evaluates Laser Therapies for Hair Removal
- Wrinkle Fillers Need Better Label Warnings: FDA Panel
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Toothbrushing May Stave Off Heart Woes
- Acid Drinks Blamed for Increase in Tooth Erosion
- Amino Acid May Be Key to Strong Teeth
- DIABETES
- Red-Grape Compound May Improve Diabetes
- Boosting Vitamin D Can Do a Heart Good
- Doctors Urged to Screen Diabetics for Sleep Apnea
- DIET, NUTRITION
- Just Say No to Nuts During Pregnancy
- Many Kids Don't Need the Vitamins They're Taking
- Eating your way to Good Health
- DISABILITIES
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Air Pollution May Cause Appendicitis: Study Reveals
- Hypertension May Hit Black Males Earlier
- Cleaning House May Be Risky for Women With Asthma
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Certain Diabetes Drugs May Pose Eye Risk
- Americans Losing Sight of Eye Health
- When Corks Fly, Watch the Eyes
- FITNESS
- Yoga Can Ease Lower Back Pain
- Exercise 30 Minutes a Day? Who Knew!
- Barefoot Best for Running?
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- New Guidelines Issued for Management of IBS
- HRT Use Raises Risk of Stomach Trouble
- Gum Chewing May Speed Colon Surgery Recovery
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Meat Additives May Be Dangerous for Kidney Patients
- What you need to know about swine flu.
- Toxins May Form When Skin, Indoor Ozone Meet
- HEAD & NECK
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- Magnet Therapy May Ease Hard-to-Treat Depression
- Airport Full Body Scanners Pose No Health Threat: Experts
- 'Cell Phone Elbow' -- A New Ill for the Wired Age
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Laughter Can Boost Heart Health
- Polyunsaturated Fats Really May Lower Heart Risk
- Shedding Light on Why Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Help the Heart
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Chinese 'Devil Dung' Plant Could Be a Swine Flu Fighter
- Poor Restroom Cleaning Causes Cruise-Ship Sickness
- Swine Flu Now Reported in All 50 States
- KID'S HEALTH
- Meaningful Conversations Boost Kids' Language Skills
- School Meals Need to Get Healthier
- Keep Safety in Mind While Your Kids Are Cooling Off in the Water
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Eating Fast Until Full Triples Overweight Risk
- More Vitamin C May Mean Less Chance of Gout
- Low Iron Levels Cut Cancer Risk in Men With PAD
- MENTAL HEALTH
- The 3LS Wellness Program for Reversing Chronic Symptoms and Creating Lasting Health
- Man's Best Friend Helps Mend Broken Hearts
- Shop 'Til You Drop: You May Feel Better
- PREGNANCY
- Heart Defects in Newborns Linked to Antidepressants
- Woman in America Are Delaying Motherhood, Study Says
- Pregnant Women Exposed To Certain Pollutants Could Lower Childs IQ
- SENIORS
- Fitness Fades Fast After 45
- Tai Chi May Help Ward Off Knee Pain in Seniors
- Nighttime Urination Linked to Higher Death Rate Among Elderly
Papaya Could Be a Cancer Fighter
By eholistic.com Published: 03/12/2010
An extract from dried papaya slows the growth of cancer cells in the laboratory, researchers report.
It's not clear if it will have the same effect on cancer in people, however.
University of Florida researcher Dr. Nam Dang and Japanese colleagues report that the papaya extract appears to affect the regulation of the body's immune system and doesn't cause side effects by harming normal cells.
The findings reflect the use of papaya by indigenous people in Australia and Vietnam, Dang, a professor of medicine, said in a news release from the university.
"Based on what I have seen and heard in a clinical setting, nobody who takes this extract experiences demonstrable toxicity; it seems like you could take it for a long time -- as long as it is effective," he said.
The researchers report that four strengths of papaya leaf extract slowed the growth of 10 types of cancer cell cultures, including cancers of the cervix, breast, liver, lung and pancreas.
SOURCE: University of Florida, news release, March 10, 2010
Last Updated: March 12, 2010
