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Grapefruit seed extract

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Grapefruit seed extract (GSE), also known as citrus seed extract, is a liquid derived from the seeds, pulp, and white membranes of grapefruit. Self-made natural GSE processed in the laboratory without solvents or synthetic agents is prepared by grinding the grapefruit seed and juiceless pulp, then mixing with glycerin. Commercially available GSE sold to consumers are made from the seed, pulp, glycerin, and synthetic preservatives all blended together. Grapefruit seed extract is sold as a food supplement and used in cosmetics because it is a claimed natural antimicrobial.

An early proponent was Dr. Jacob Harich (1919–1996).[1] A long time promoter of GSE was Aubrey Hampton, the founder of Aubrey Organics.[2] Some marketers of GSE affirm this extract to be a safe, natural, and an effective preservative.[3] This extract has been stated by some practitioners of alternative medicine to possess antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.[1] It has been recommended by some nutritionists for the treatment of candidiasis, earache, throat infections, and diarrhea.[1] GSE is promoted at health food shops and on the internet.

History

The grapefruit is a subtropical citrus tree grown for its fruit which was originally named the "forbidden fruit" of Barbados.[4] The fruit was first documented in 1750 by Rev. Griffith Hughes describing specimens from Barbados.[5] All parts of the fruit have uses. The fruit is mainly consumed for a tangy juice.[6] The peel is expressed into an aromatherapy oil[7] and is also a source of dietary fiber.[8] The seed and pulp as a by-product of the juice industry is sold as cattle feed[9] and is manufactured for use to make an extract.[10] GSE was originally developed by Dr. Jacob Harich, a nuclear physicist. In 1963, he journeyed to Florida, the heart of grapefruit country in the U.S., and began researching and later marketing of GSE.[1] Aubrey Hampton, founder of Aubrey Organics, has promoted citrus seed extract, a component in "Aubrey’s Preservative", for more than 25 years.[2] Today, GSE is mostly promoted at health food shops and on the internet.[11][12]

Methodology

Grapefruit seed extracts are added to cosmetics, food supplements, and pesticides for their antimicrobial effect, but suspicions about the true nature of the active compounds in GSEs arose when synthetic additives were found in commercial products.[13] Various analytical methods were developed to determine the constituents or compounds in GSE samples which include particle-induced x-ray emission (PIXE),[3] electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS),[3] high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC),[13] liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS),[14] and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis.[15]

Properties

There is evidence that the extract of citrus grapefruit seed has antioxidant properties.[16][17] Analysis shows the constituents of the seed extract and pulp are flavonoids,[18][19] ascorbic acid (commonly known as vitamin C[20][21][22]), tocopherols, citric acid,[16] limonoids,[23][24][25] sterols, and minerals.[26] A study suggests the consumption of the bioactive compounds found in grapefruit seed and pulp may help suppress the development of colon cancer.[27] Another study showed the flavonoid naringin is an excellent plasma lipid lowering and plasma antioxidant active elevating flavonone.[28]

Preparations

Self-made pure GSE processed without solvents is prepared by grinding the grapefruit seed and juiceless pulp, then mixing with glycerin.[10]

Precautions

Grapefruit can have a number of interactions with certain drugs, increasing the potency of many compounds,[29] including warfarin (coumadin).[30] Grapefruit has components that inhibit the CYP3A4 enzyme in the intestine.[29] Thus, it is this effect that increases the rate of absorption of several drugs.[31] There are concerns about the safety of ingesting synthetic preservatives found in grapefruit seed extract.[12]

Controversy

GSE usage has been popularized by many companies within the scope of the health food industry.[3] There are books exclusively dedicated to GSE.[1][32][33] This extract is promoted by marketers on the internet and some health food stores recommend its use.[3][12] Some consumers believe this extract is an effective natural preservative even though multiple scientific studies have concluded that the universal antimicrobial activity is merely from contamination with synthetic antimicrobials.[10][13][3][11][34][30]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Sims, Judith. Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Available in e-book format. Thomson Gale. 2001.
  2. ^ a b Melissa Meisel. Cosmetics Go Green. Happi, Rodman Publishing, June 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference Contamination was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Dowling, Curtis F.; Morton, Julia Frances (1987). Fruits of warm climates. Miami, Fla: J.F. Morton. pp. 152–8. ISBN 0-9610184-1-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Michael Quinion. World Wide Words: Questions & Answers; Grapefruit. 2009.
  6. ^ Fellers PJ, Nikdel S, Lee HS (1990). "Nutrient content and nutrition labeling of several processed Florida citrus juice products". J Am Diet Assoc. 90 (8): 1079–84. PMID 2380455. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Worwood, Valerie Ann (1991). The complete book of essential oils and aromatherapy. Novato, Calif: New World Library. ISBN 0-931432-82-0.
  8. ^ Cerda JJ, Robbins FL, Burgin CW, Baumgartner TG, Rice RW (1988). "The effects of grapefruit pectin on patients at risk for coronary heart disease without altering diet or lifestyle". Clin Cardiol. 11 (9): 589–94. doi:10.1002/clc.4960110902. PMID 3229016. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Arthington JD, Kunkle WE, Martin AM (2002). "Citrus pulp for cattle". Vet. Clin. North Am. Food Anim. Pract. 18 (2): 317–26, vii. doi:10.1016/S0749-0720(02)00023-3. PMID 12235663. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Pharmazie was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Adulteration was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b c Todd Caldecott. Grapefruit seed extract antibiotic activity is due to preservative compounds. Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. 2005.
  13. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Preservatives was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference synthetic_disinfectants was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference counterfeit_products was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ a b Armando C, Maythe S, Beatriz NP (1997). "Antioxidant activity of grapefruit seed extract on vegetable oils". Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 77 (4): 463–7. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(199808)77:4<463::AID-JSFA62>3.0.CO;2-1. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Giamperi L, Fraternale D, Bucchini A, Ricci D (2004). "Antioxidant activity of Citrus paradisi seeds glyceric extract". Fitoterapia. 75 (2): 221–4. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2003.12.010. PMID 15030930. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Drewnowski A, Gomez-Carneors C (2000). "Bitter taste, phytonutrients, and consumer: a review". Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 72 (6): 1424–35. PMID 11101467.
  19. ^ Tirillini B (2000). "Grapefruit: the last decade acquisitions". Fitoterapia. 71: 29–37. doi:10.1016/S0367-326X(00)00176-3. PMID 10930710.
  20. ^ Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D. Vitamin C Has Been Known To Fight 30 Major Diseases... For Over 50 Years. Orthomolecular Medicine News Service. March 15, 2006.
  21. ^ Vitamin C. American Cancer Society. 2009.
  22. ^ The World's Healthiest Foods; Grapefruit. The George Mateljan Foundation. 2009.
  23. ^ Bennett RD, Hasegava S, Herman Z (1989). "Glucosides of acidic limonoids in citrus". Phytochemistry. 28 (10): 2777–81. doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(00)98087-7.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Ohta H, Fong CH, Berhow M, Hesegawa (1993). "Thin-layer and high-performance liquid chromatographic analyses of limonoids and limonoid glucosides in citrus seeds". J. Chromatogr. 639 (2): 295–302. doi:10.1016/0021-9673(93)80266-B.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ Braddock RJ, Bryan CR (2001). "Extraction parameters and capillary electrophorisis analysis of limonin glucoside and phlorin in citrus products". J. Agric. Food Chem. 49 (12): 5982–8. doi:10.1021/jf010737n. PMID 11743796.
  26. ^ Tushiswili LS, Durmishidze SV, Sulaberidze KV (1983). "Sterols of grapefruit, orange, mandarin pulps (Citrus paradisi, Citrus sinensis, Citrus unshiu)". Chem. Nat. Comp. 18: 445–7.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. ^ Vanamala J, Leonardi T, Patil BS; et al. (2006). "Suppression of colon carcinogenesis by bioactive compounds in grapefruit". Carcinogenesis. 27 (6): 1257–65. doi:10.1093/carcin/bgi318. PMID 16387741. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ Gorinstein S, Leontowicz H, Leontowicz M; et al. (2005). "Changes in plasma lipid and antioxidant activity in rats as a result of naringin and red grapefruit supplementation". J. Agric. Food Chem. 53 (8): 3223–8. doi:10.1021/jf058014h. PMID 15826081. {{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  29. ^ a b Bakalar, Nicholas. Experts Reveal the Secret Powers of Grapefruit Juice. The New York Times. March 21, 2006.
  30. ^ a b Brandin H, Myrberg O, Rundlöf T, Arvidsson AK, Brenning G (2007). "Adverse effects by artificial grapefruit seed extract products in patients on warfarin therapy". Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 63 (6): 565–70. doi:10.1007/s00228-007-0289-1. PMID 17468864. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  31. ^ He K, Iyer KR, Hayes RN, Sinz MW, Woolf TF, Hollenberg PF (1998). "Inactivation of cytochrome P450 3A4 by bergamottin, a component of grapefruit juice". Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11 (4): 252–9. doi:10.1021/tx970192k. PMID 9548795. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ Sharamon, S., Baginski, B.J. The Healing Power of Grapefruit Seed. Lotus Press, Wisconsin. 1996. ISBN 0-914955-27-6
  33. ^ Allan Sachs (1997). The authoritative guide to grapefruit seed extract. Mendocino, CA: LifeRhythm. ISBN 0-940795-17-5.
  34. ^ Cite error: The named reference Study was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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