February Herb of the Month: Acai Berry

Acai has been promoted, starting in the 1990s, to reverse aging, to reduce high cholesterol, treat heart disease, for weight loss, and as an anticancer agent. It is marketed in the form of juice, energy drinks, 

tablets, and as an ingredient in cosmetics. Acai berry, rich in anthocyanins, demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumorigenic effects in vitro and in animal models.

A small study suggests that acai may benefit overweight men by improving vascular function. But the claims of disease prevention and cure have yet to be substantiated. Due to its antioxidant property, acai may interfere with the actions of certain chemotherapy drugs. Read more

This resource is provided with thanks to the Integrative Medicine Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which maintains a free web site, About Herbs.

We chose acai berry for this issue because of its popular use for promoting health and as an anticancer agent. A small berry that grows on a palm tree, acai is indigenous to the Amazon region and in Central and South Americas where it is consumed as food, and used in traditional medicine.