Garambullo consumption prevents and delays colon cancer, study reveals

Querétaro, Qro., Researchers from the Advanced Biomedical Research Center (CIBA), of the Faculty of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Querétaro (UAQ), have discovered the benefits of consuming garambullo as a preventer and retardant of colon cancer.

Edelmira Sánchez Recillas, doctoral student in biomedical sciences, described for The Day that the research carried out is to test the consumption of garambullo in an early stage cancer model in an animal model, to evaluate changes in the profile of the intestinal microbiota. He explained that consuming the cactus does kill cancer cells and by feeding it to an animal model, it delays primary lesions of the disease. In addition, it promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, which is why it turns out to be “a protector for intestinal health.” That is, we will not have to reach a cancer for it to have a benefit, but rather it cushions and prevents. It caused this preventive effect to the rats that consumed it, it protects their intestinal health and although there is an induction of cancer, it does not allow it to advance to an advanced stage, but rather delays it.”

The researcher details that all people “have an intestinal microbiota that helps us digest fiber. So, depending on the diet, we can have good bacteria that will give us health benefits in general and we have pathogens that can cause inflammation and damage.” This is the first time that changes in the intestinal microbiota due to garambullo consumption have been described.

From the communities

According to Sánchez Recillas, garambullo is used by communities, mainly rural, in the states of Guanajuato and Querétaro, where women mainly use it to make sweets, nuts, popsicles or snow, so “part of helping the community is giving added value to the consumption of garambullo. And that’s where we come in, the line of research of Dr. Aide Vergara Castañeda, who leads the garambullo project associated with cancer prevention of colon: contribute to the knowledge of what benefits garambullo has.”

He indicates that he started with the fruit during his master’s degree, “where we first characterized the garambullo. Then, we saw what beneficial compounds it has, they are called bioactive compounds, and we saw that it is rich in fiber and antioxidants. So, since we evaluated that, we wanted to see now in an animal model of colon cancer, what possible effects it could have in terms of prevention. Also within this laboratory, other lines are managed where they have worked with cancer cells and it has been seen that the fermented fraction of the garambullo, that is, the fiber-rich fraction, whether it can kill these cancer cells or not and positive results have been seen.”

The process of colon cancer occurs in an initial stage of chronic inflammation that can be reduced with antioxidants. According to researcher Edelmira Sánchez, “the garambullo has many antioxidants, if we compare it with other berries, such as blueberries; the cactus proved to have more antioxidants even than the strawberry and is high in fiber, which is why colon cancer is characterized by occurring when there is a low fiber consumption.

“People who have a low fiber intake and who consume more red or fatty meats have a higher risk factor. The disease can be prevented and delayed at an early stage, as long as the diet is modified.

“So, if there is a greater consumption of fiber and antioxidants, in an initial stage, the primary lesions that are associated with colon cancer can be reversed. And since garambullo fulfills this function and with these characteristics, we wanted to evaluate it.”

And although they have not yet taken the research to the human field, currently the stage of the research line corresponds to characterization. Edelmira Sánchez admits that “the ideal would be to take it to a higher level in the population, evaluate and see if in fact the people who consume it more frequently show some changes compared to the rest of the population.”

The developers

The industrial growth of the entity has made developers a fertile field in their field. Only in recent years, Querétaro is among the 10 most attractive states for the real estate market, according to the Real Estate Bank of Mexico, so when developers acquire the land they cut down the garambullo plant and other endemic plants without relocating them.

In this regard, Sánchez Recillas indicates that they have not had the opportunity to present to the real estate sector that they know “the advantages that the garambullo has, we are testing it; it actually has a health effect, and it is fair to try or contribute from our trench to the protection of this endemic cactus, about which there was almost no information and about the fruit, it was only consumed. And also just this line of research and this project, what shows is that it must be taken care of, that it is important.”

Although garambullo is a rainy season fruit, Edelmira Sánchez indicates that in Querétaro it is sold quite a lot and in many presentations, such as snow or flavored water, as well as fresh or dried fruit; and “what we have evaluated so far in the project is that it preserves fiber and antioxidants. So, it would still have a greater benefit. This characteristic color it has, which is purple, is due to bioactive compounds called betalains, and these have a high antioxidant capacity. There are many people who freeze it and can later use it to make goat cheese with garambullo or in jams.”

The CIBA is a postgraduate level research space. The doctorate of science in biomedicine and the master of science in neurometabolism and science in biomedicine are enrolled. Various laboratories are focused on different lines of research, among which is Dr. Vergara Castañeda, who leads the garambullo project associated with the prevention of colon cancer.