During the 1930s an american agricultural chemist, Charles F. Schnabel, initiated a series of experiments in which he found that wheatgrass (sprouts of the common wheat plant grown in Kansas) not only returned dying hens to good health, but stimulated them to produce eggs at double their previous rate. Schnabel began marketing wheatgrass to humans in powdered form, touting its health benefits.
We now know that wheatgrass is the best source of life-giving chlorophyll of any plant. It is also rich in protein, vitamin E, vitamin B12, and phosphorus. Over the past few decades, studies have found wheatgrass consumption to be particularly beneficial to people suffering from anemia, colitis, and other inflammatory bowel disorders.
The role of iron chelation activity of wheat grass juice in patients with mylodysplastic syndrome. Mukhopadhyay S, Basak J, Kar M, Mandal S, Mukhopadhyay A. J Clin Oncol. 2009 May 20;27(155):7012. Key Finding: “The mean serum Ferritin level of the patients was 2,250 (range 650-4,800) before wheat grass treatment. The mean reduced to 950 (range 68-1680). The mean interval between transfusions was found increased. Wheat grass juice is an effective iron chelator and its use in reducing serum ferritin should be encouraged in myelodysplastic syndrome and other diseases where repeated blood transfusion is required.”
Wheat Grass Juice Reduces Transfusion Requirement in Patients with Thalassemia Major: A Pilot Study. Marwaha RK, Bansal D, Kaur S, Trehan A. Ind Pediatrics. 2004 July 17;41:716-720. Key Finding: “Several of our patients in the thalassemia unit began consuming wheat grass juice after anecdotal accounts of beneficial effects on blood transfusion requirements. These encouraging experiences prompted us to evaluate the effect of wheat grass juice on transfusion requirements in patients with transfusion dependent beta thalassemia. A beneficial effect of wheat grass juice was defined as decrease in the requirement of packed red cells by 25% or more. Sixteen cases were analyzed. Blood transfusion requirement fell by 25% or more in 50% of patients with a decrease of 40% or more in three patients. No perceptible adverse effects were recognized.”
Evaluation of antioxidant profile and activity of amalaki (Emblica officinalis), spirulina and wheat grass. Shukla V, Vashistha M, Singh SN. Ind J Clin Biochem. 2009 Jan;24(1):70-75. Key Finding: “Total antioxidant activity of aqueous extract of amalki, spirulina and wheatgrass at 1mg/ml concentration were 7.78, 1.33 and 0.278 mmol/l respectively. Alcoholic extract of wheat grass showed 50% inhibition in FeCI2- ascorbic acid induced lipid peroxidation of rat liver homogenates in vitro. Both aqueous and alcoholic extracts of amalaki inhibited activity of rat liver glutathione S-transferase in vitro in dose dependent manner. The aqueous extracts of both amalki and spirulina also showed protection against t-BOOH induced cytotoxicity and production of ROS in cultured C6 glial cells.”
Administering wheatgrass juice in supportive care of terminally ill cancer patients. Basak J, Bhattacharjee C, Dey S, Adhikari S, Mukhopadhyay S, Mukhopadhyay A. Annals of Oncology. 2008 July;19(Suppl 5). Key Finding: “Wheatgrass juice was used for anemic patients to increase hemoglobin levels. We concluded that wheatgrass is an effective alternative to blood transfusion. Its use in terminally ill cancer patients should be encouraged.”
Wheatgrass Juice May Improve Hematological Toxicity Related to Chemotherapy in Breast Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study. Bar-Sela G, Tsalic M, Fried G, Goldberg H. Nutrition and Cancer. 2007 Jun;58(1):43-48. Key Finding: “It was found that wheatgrass juice taken during FAC chemotherapy may reduce myelotoxicity, dose reductions, and need for GCSF support, without diminishing efficacy of chemo-therapy.”
Heme and chlorophyll intake and risk of colorectal cancer in the Netherlands cohort study. Balder HF, Vogel J, Jansen MC, Weijenberg MP, Van den Brandt PA, West-enbrink S, van der Meer R, Godlbohm RA. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Apr;15(4):717-25. Key Finding: “Our data suggest an elevated risk of colon cancer in men with increasing intake of heme iron and decreasing intake of chlorophyll. Further research is needed to confirm these results.”
Tumors from rats given 1,2-dimethylhydrazine plus chlorophyllin or indole-3-carbinol contain transcriptional changes in beta-catenin that are independent of beat-catenin mutation status. Wang R, Dashwood WM, Bailey GS, Williams DE, Dashwood RH. Mutat Res. 2006 Oct 10;601(1-2):11-8. Key Finding: “Tumors induced in the rat by 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine contains mutations in beta-catenin, but the spectrum of such mutations can be influenced by phytochemicals such as chlorophyllin and indole-3-carbinol. In the present study, we determined the mutation status of beta-catenin in more than 50 DMH-induced colon tumors and small intestine tumors. Similar findings have been reported in primary human colon cancers and their liver metastases.”
Chlorophyll, chlorophyllin, and related tetrapyrroles are significant inducers of mammalian phase 2 cytoprotective genes. Fahey JW, Stephenson KK, Dinkova-Kostova AT, Egner PA, Kensler TW, Talalay P. Carcinogenesis. 2005 Jul;26(7):1247-55. Key Finding: Plant chlorophylls and carotenoids, which play central roles in photosynthesis, have the ability to induce mammalian phase 2 proteins that protect cells against oxidants and electrophiles. “One of the most potent inducers was isolated from chlorophyllin, a semisynthetic water-soluble chlorophyll derivative. Although chlorophyll itself is low in inducer potency, it may nevertheless account for some of the disease-protective effects attributed to diets rich in green vegetables because it occurs in much higher concentrations in those plants than the widely studied phytochemicals.”
Green vegetables, red meat and colon cancer: chlorophyll prevents the cytotoxic and hyper proliferative effects of haem in rat colon. De Vogel J, Jonker-Termon DS, Van Lieshout EM, Katan MB, Van der Meer R. Carcinogenesis. 2005 Feb;26(2):387-93. Key Finding: “We studied whether green vegetables inhibit the unfavorable colonic effects of haem (from red meat) in rat colons. We conclude that green vegetables may decrease colon cancer risk because chlorophyll prevents the detrimental, cytotoxic and hyperproliferative colonic effects of dietary haem.”
Promotion versus suppression of rat colon carcinogenesis by chlorophyllin and chlorophyll: modulation of apoptosis, cell proliferation, and beta-carenin/Tcf signaling. Blum CA, Xu M, Orner GA, Dario Diaz G, Li Q, Dashwood WM, Bailey GS, Dashwood RH. Mutat Res. 2003 Feb-Mar;523-524:217-23. Key Finding: “The results suggest that further investigation of the dose-response for suppression versus promotion by chlorophyll and chlorophyllin is warranted, including studies of the beta-catenin/Tcf signaling pathway and its influence on cell proliferation and apoptosis in the colonic crypt.”
Inhibitory effects of chlorophyllin, hemin, and tetrakis (4-benzoic acid)porphyrin on oxidative DNA damage and mouse skin inflammation induced by 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate as a possible anti-tumor promoting mechanism. Park KK, Park JH, Jung YJ, Chung WY. Mutat Res. 2003 Dec 9;542(1-2):89-97. Key Finding: “These results demonstrate that the antioxidative properties of porphyrins such as chlorophyllin are important for inhibiting TPA-induced tumor promotion.”
Beta-Catenin mutation in rat colon tumors initiated by 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine and 2-amino-3-methylimidazo (4, 5-fquinoline, and the effect of post-initiation treatment with chlorophyllin and indole-3-carbinol. Blum CA, Xu M, Orner GA, Fong AT, Bailey GS, Stoner GD, Horio DT, Dashwood RH. Carcinogenesis. 2001 Feb;22(2):315-20. Key Finding: “Two dietary phytochemicals, chlorophyllin and indole-3-carbinol, given post-initiation, shifted the pattern of beta-catenin mutations in rat colon tumors. The results indicate that the mechanism might involve the altered expression of beat-catenin/Tcf/Lef target genes.”
Chlorophyllin intervention reduces aflatoxin-DNA adducts in individuals at high risk for liver cancer. Egner PA, Wang JB, Zhu YR, Zhang BC, Wu Y, Zhang QN, Qian GS, Kuang SY, Gange SJ, Jacobson LP, Helzlsouer KJ, Bailey GS, Groopman JD, Kensler TW. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2001 Dec 4;98(25):14601-6. Key Finding: “Chlorophyllin consumption at each meal led to an overall 55% reduction in median urinary levels of aflatoxin biomarker compared with those taking placebo. Thus, prophylactic interventions with chlorophyllin or supplementation of diets with foods rich in chlorophylls may represent practical means to prevent the development of hepatocellular carcinoma or other environmentally induced cancers.”
Effect of dietary phytochemicals on cancer development (review). Waladkhani AR, Clemens MR. Int J Mol Med. 1998 Apr;1(4):747-53. Key Finding: “Phyto-chemicals can inhibit carcinogenesis by inhibiting phase I enzymes, and induction of phase II enzymes, scavenge DNA reactive agents. Suppress the abnormal proliferation of early lesions, and inhibit certain properties of the cancer cell. There are many biologically plausible reasons why consumption of plant foods might slow or prevent the appearance of cancer. These include the presence in plant foods of such potentially anticarcinogenic substances as carotenoids, chlorophyll, flavonoids, indole, isothiocyanate, polyphenolic compounds, protease inhibitors, sulfides, and terpens. The specific mechanisms of action of most phytochemicals in cancer prevention are not yet clear but appear to be varied.”
Non-specific inhibition of cytochrome P450 activities by chlorophyllin in human and rat liver microsomes. Yun CH, Jeong HG, Jhoun JW, Guengerich FP. Carcinogenesis. 1995 Jun;16(6):1437-40. Key Finding: “These results suggest that the antigenotoxic effect of chlorophyllin might be due to inhibition of P450 enzymes involving bio activation of carcinogens in addition to molecular complex formation between carcinogens and chlorophyllin.”
Chemo preventive properties of chlorophyllin: inhibition of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-DNA binding in vivo and anti-mutagenic activity against AFB1 and two heterocyclic amines in the Salmonella mutagenicity assay. Dashwood RH, Breinholt V, Bailey GS. Carcinogenesis. 1991 May;12(5):939-42. Key Finding: “These studies support a chlorophyllin inhibitory mechanism involving complex formation with the carcinogen in the gut coupled with electrophile scavenging or further complexion in the target organ.”
Wheatgrass juice in the treatment of active distal ulcerative colitis: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Ben-Ayre E, Goldin E, Wengrower D, Stamper A, Kohn R, Berry E. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2002 Apr;37(4):444-9. Key Finding: “Twenty-one patients completed the study. Treatment with wheatgrass was associated with significant reductions in the overall disease activity index and in the severity of rectal bleeding. Wheatgrass juice appeared effective and safe as a single or adjuvant treatment of active distal ulcerative colitis.”
Dietary Factors in the Modulation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity. Shah S. MedGenMed. 2007;9(1):60. Key Finding: “The components of wheatgrass juice include chlorophyll, vitamins A, C, and E, and various amino acids. It has been demonstrated that wheatgrass juice is anti-mutagenic. One constituent of wheatgrass is apigenin, which is believed to possess both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Some believe that this constituent may be beneficial in ulcerative colitis. A randomized controlled trial of wheatgrass juice in the management of ulcerative colitis has demonstrated some efficacy.”