Scientific study set up to discredit a Cancer Killing Product?
Colon cancer proliferating desulfosinigrin in wasabi (Wasabia japonica). Weil MJ, Zhang Y, Nair MG. Nutr Cancer. 2004;48(2):207-13.
This is the published study that is continually referred to in order to show Wasabia japonica is no good to kill cancer. Personally, I think this was a study that was deliberately set up to produce this result because the authors had a hidden agenda which they did not declare.
This published study seems to be a deliberate attempt to discredit Wasabia japonica and Horseradish and distance itself from broccoli.
The interesting thing here is that all three authors have published a lot of papers either with others or combined on the wonders of Broccoli and sulforaphane.
This is the only paper published by these authors on Wasabi, and is the only paper that appears to have been published on this subject. That, by itself implies that the scientific community does not regard these findings as being significant.
You could probably just change the words “Wasabi” and “Horseradish” for any other member of the Brassica family and the results would still be true.
It should also be pointed out (and they do) that “desulfoglucosinolate, (is) the biosynthetic precursor of GSLs found in Brassica spp”. It is in the last sentence of the abstract. I suspect this is their weasel clause so that they can claim they were not Broccoli scientists rigging the results against a competitor shown to be 40 times more effective against Cancer.
The definition of “biosynthetic” is the formation of a chemical compound by a living organism. Also called biogenesis. [from the Free Dictionary]
This actually completely changes the conclusion of the paper which should be that all Brassicas have the capacity to produce the result that they imply only relate to Wasabi and Horseradish.
The desulfoglucosinolate itself is not the culprit for inducing cancer, it is allyl cyanide (ACN) and a trace amount of 1-cyano-2,3-epithiopropane (CETP) which are some of the breakdown products of Ally Isothiocyanate, which is the major isothiocyanate in ALL brassicas, including broccoli, mustard, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Allyl Isothiocyanate is one of the breakdown products of desulfoglucosinolate. Therefore, the chemical the study claims causes the cancer proliferation (desulfosinigrin), is three reactions removed from the real culprit. Just a slight amount of misdirection going on here?
It goes
desulfosinigrin –> desulfoglucosinolate –> Allyl Isothiocyanate –> Allyl Cyanide
PERIODICUM BIOLOGORUM UDC 57:61 VOL. 110, No 4, 297–309, 2008
Glucosinolates and their potential role in plant IVANA RADOJČIĆ REDOVNIKOVIĆ et al.
It was in 1863 that H. Will and W. Koerner found that Allyl Cyanide was present in Mustard Oil (Allyl Isothiocyanate). [C. Pomeranz: “Ueber Allylcyanid und Allylsenföl”, in: Justus Liebigs Annalen der Chemie, 1906, 351 (1–3), P. 354–362: doi:10.1002/jlac.19073510127]
Allyl Cyanide was classified as a Hazardous Substance in The Hazardous Substances and Waste Dangerous Goods Regulations being Chapter E-10.2 Reg 3 (effective April 1, 1989) as amended by Saskatchewan Regulations 25/92, 107/92, 28/94, 3/95 and 63/2000.
Note the date – 1989. It isn’t really a big leap knowing that one of the breakdown products of the major ITC in Wasabi and Horseradish (and all Brassicas) was already classified as a hazardous substance to find what types of cells it was hazardous to. If you were trying to discredit a natural cancer killer that was a competitor to your own pet project, then you would naturally try some cancer cells first.
I would suggest that might be the reason why other scientists have not followed up on these findings, as they are probably a lot better than me to read between the lines to find the truth.
At the time this study (hatchet job?) was carried out there was only fake wasabi powder, made from mustard, horseradish and cancer forming colouring available commercially.
The first commercial 100% Pure Wasabia japonica powder was not made available to the market until Supply Side West in Las Vegas in November 2004 – AFTER this study was completed.
Therefore it would seem that using “a commercially available wasabi powder” meant they were not testing Wasabia japonica (as claimed), but just a mixture of Mustard and Horseradish with the added FDA allowed carcinogenics.
So do Scientists rig results for their own agendas? You bet your life they do!
Namida 100% Pure Wasabia japonica can be purchased here.