Good Fruit Grower

July 1

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E ating two or three peaches a day might help inhibit breast cancer, scientists have revealed. A study by researchers at Wash- ington State University and Texas A&M showed that compounds in peaches can inhibit growth of breast cancer cells and their ability to spread. Dr. Giuliana Noratto, food scientist at Washington State University, thinks the peach compounds could supplement ther- apies that reduce the risk of metastasis in breast and other types of cancer. The com- pounds could be consumed in the form of fresh peaches or in the form of an extract as a dietary supplement. Noratto did the research as part of her doctoral work at Texas A&M with plant breeder Dr. David Byrne, food scientist Dr. Louis Cisneros-Zevallos, and toxicologist Dr. Weston Porter. In 2009, they published a study showing that peach and plum extracts suppressed breast cancer cells cultured in petri dishes. For a subsequent study, they implanted breast cancer cells beneath the skin of mice and monitored the growth of the cells. After giving the cells a week to establish, the researchers fed the mice either a saline solution or varying doses of peach polyphenols—compounds that help plants ward off the damaging effects of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. They extracted the compounds from Rich Lady peaches grown in California. Previous studies had shown that these compounds act as antioxidants and can protect DNA against damage that can produce cancer, Noratto said. After 12 days, the scientists saw that mice fed with high levels of poly- phenols had tumors that grew less and without much of the blood vessel formation that can help cancer cells spread to other parts of the body. The tumors in those mice had less evidence of enzymes involved in the spread and invasion of cancer. When they analyzed the mice's lungs, they found that the peach compounds inhibited metastasis in the lungs. The doses given to the mice ranged from 0.8 to 1.6 milligrams per day, which is equivalent to a 132-pound person eating two or three peaches a day. The study, with Noratto as lead author, was accepted this spring for publication in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. Noratto was drawn to the research after doing work on the antioxidant activity of root plants in her native Peru. She is also looking at compounds in apples, wheat, barley, quinoa, and dairy products that could help prevent obesity-related diseases. • 24 JULY 2014 GOOD FRUIT GROWER www.goodfruit.com PHOTO COURTESY OF WSU PHOTO SERVICES Giuliana Noratto studied the cancer-fighting effects of peaches. Summer Fruit Van Well Offers These and Other Patented Fruit Varieties: Van Well Exclusive Patented Apple Brands Auvil Early Fuji ® (Fuji 216 cv.) U.S.P.P. # 10141 Gale Gala ® (Malaga cv.) U.S.P.P. # 10114 Red Cameo (Dudek v.) U.S.P.P. # 19766 Redfield ® Red Braeburn (Mahana cv.) U.S.P.P. # 17268 Red Jonaprince (Red Jonagold) U.S.P.P. # 11112 Adams Apple ® Red Delicious (Burchinal cv.) U.S.P.P. # 14757 Patented Cherry Varieties Sunset Bing ® (Brown cv.) U.S.P.P. # 15386 Early Robin ® U.S.P.P. # 13951 These commercial fruit tree varieties have been granted U. S. plant patents which prohibit their propagation by all except authorized licensees. Contact us for additional information about propagation and/or growing these or other of our patented fruit varieties. Visit our website: www.vanwell.net or email us at vanwell@vanwell.net. M E M B E R H E L P I N G G R O W E R S G R O W ™ | W E N A T C H E E , W A S H I N G T O N Grown in the U.S.A. P.O. Box 1339 Wenatchee, WA 98807 PHONE 509/886-8189 FAX 509/886-0294 WEB www.vanwell.net EMAIL vanwell@vanwell.net The Following are Registered Trademarks of Van Well Nursery ® : Auvil Early Fuji ® , Gale Gala ® , Redfield ® Red Braeburn, Oregon Spur ® , Super Chief ® , Sunset Bing ® ,Adams Apple ® , Attika ® , Early Robin ® . These Trade Names cannot be used without written permission from Van Well Nursery ® . NOTICE CONCERNING PLANT PATENTS and Tree Fruit Variety Trademarks: Peaches inhibit cancer Scientists found that consumption of peach polyphenolics slowed tumor growth. by Geraldine Warner

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