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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.[1] 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.[1] Commercially available GSE sold to consumers are made from the seed, pulp, glycerin, and synthetic preservatives all blended together.[1] Grapefruit seed extract is sold as a food supplement and used in cosmetics because it is a claimed natural antimicrobial.[2]

An early proponent was Dr. Jacob Harich (1919–1996).[3] A long time promoter of GSE was Aubrey Hampton, the founder of Aubrey Organics.[4] Some marketers of GSE affirm this extract to be a safe, natural, and an effective preservative.[5] This extract has been stated by some practitioners of alternative medicine to possess antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.[3] It has been recommended by some nutritionists for the treatment of candidiasis, earache, throat infections, and diarrhea.[3] GSE is promoted at health food shops and on the internet.[6][7]

There are conflicting scientific demonstrations of the efficacy of GSE.[1] Suspicions about the true nature of the active compounds in GSEs arose when synthetic additives were found in commercial products.[2] Suspected counterfeit grapefruit seed extracts were adulterated with synthetic preservatives.[8][9][10] When preservatives were not present in some of the extracts, laboratory tests found the natural extracts had no natural antimicrobial attributes of their own.[5] Some manufacturers of GSE have stated that their extract has compounds nearly identical to benzethonium chloride, but a 2001 study supervised by chemist G. Takeoka has documented that commercial GSE preparations contain the synthetic compound benzethonium chloride that could not have been made from GSE.[5]


Grapefruit Seed Extract is a liquid substance extracted from the fruit and seeds of grapefruit, a sub-tropical citrus tree that grows in abundance throughout many countries. The extract from grapefruit seed was first documented for its medicinal uses in 1972 by Dr. Jacob Harich, a physicist who noticed its traditional use as a disinfectant in a multitude of countries.¹ Many traditional societies, from South America to Europe, to Asia have used the extract to clean the skin, hair, and home surfaces. These societies also valued the extract as a powerful anti-viral and bacterial

Efficacy

Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) has very high amounts of disease-fighting, free-radical eliminating antioxidants and phytonutrients called bioflavonoids. One of these powerful bioflavanoids (plant antioxidants) include the chemical component hesperidin, a well-known natural immune-system stimulator and booster.4


Chemical analysis of grapefruit seed extract shows additional antioxidant constituents including Vitamin C, sterols, tocopherols, citric acid, liminoids, and other trace minerals. Perhaps most exciting in regard to GSE's health benefits is its anti-cancer potentials. Studies done on the compounds in GSE's seed and pulp have found that these bioactive agents may be able to inhibit the occurrence of colon cancer. 6

A recent study done by Microbiologists from the University of Georgia found that GSE was a very effective non-toxic disinfectant. Sadly, commonly-used disinfectant have high levels of toxicity and are harmful to humans, animals and the environment. The same study found that GSE demonstrates a "wide spectrum of activity," including antiviral, antimycotic, and antiprotozoan capacities against many bacteria and viruses, including E.Coli.¹ It was also found to be an effective cleanser as a a pre-surgical soap.¹

Another recent study from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that grapefruit-seed extract was effective in killing over "800 bacterial and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus, and a large number of single and multi-celled parasites."² No other naturally-occuring anti-microbial can come close to these results.

Properties

There is evidence that the extract of citrus grapefruit seed has antioxidant properties.[11][12] Analysis shows the constituents of the seed extract and pulp are flavonoids,[13][14] ascorbic acid (commonly known as vitamin C[15][16][17]), tocopherols, citric acid,[11] limonoids,[18][19][20] sterols, and minerals.[21] A study suggests the consumption of the bioactive compounds found in grapefruit seed and pulp may help suppress the development of colon cancer.[22] Another study showed the flavonoid naringin is an excellent plasma lipid lowering and plasma antioxidant active elevating flavonone.[23]

Preparations

Testing was conducted by the U. of Georgia, in Athens, GA, to evaluate grapefruit seed extractin tests against E. Coli, Salmonella sps., and Staph aureus. Roger Wyatt, Ph.D., and Microbiologist for the U. of GA, reported,

"Our studies indicate excellent potential for these products(GSE). ...The toxicological that I have reviewed indicated that this product and the active ingredient poses very low toxicity. As you know this is important because most disinfectants that are currently used in either animal or human environments have moderate to high toxicity and extreme care must be exercised when these products are used. The lack of any significant toxicological properties of (GSE) is also impressive when one views the efficacy data where extemely small concentrations of the product can be used with markedbeneficial results." Dr. Wyatt continued, "In view of the reports that we have discussed, the wide spectrum of activity that (GSE) offers(antiviral, antibacterial; Gram+ and Gram-, antimycotic, and antiprotozoan) will undoubtedly aid in its acceptability."

Dr. Wyatt's findings have also been confirmed by a variety of clinics and labs, as well as universities from around the world, including the University of Arkansas, the U. of Malaya, the U. of Sao Paulo, and the University Ricardo Palma, to name a few.

Precautions

Grapefruit can have a number of interactions with certain drugs, increasing the potency of many compounds,[24] including warfarin (coumadin).[25] Grapefruit has components that inhibit the CYP3A4 enzyme in the intestine.[24] Thus, it is this effect that increases the rate of absorption of several drugs.[26] There are concerns about the safety of ingesting synthetic preservatives found in grapefruit seed extract.[7] 

GSE Has a very high amounts of disease-fighting, free-radical eliminating antioxidants and phytonutrients called bioflavonoids. One of these powerful bioflavanoids (plant antioxidants) include the chemical component hesperidin, a well-known natural immune-system stimulator and booster.4


Chemical analysis of grapefruit seed extract shows additional antioxidant constituents including Vitamin C, sterols, tocopherols, citric acid, liminoids, and other trace minerals. Perhaps most exciting in regard to GSE's health benefits is its anti-cancer potentials. Studies done on the compounds in GSE's seed and pulp have found that these bioactive agents may be able to inhibit the occurrence of colon cancer. 6

A recent study done by Microbiologists from the University of Georgia found that GSE was a very effective non-toxic disinfectant. Sadly, commonly-used disinfectant have high levels of toxicity and are harmful to humans, animals and the environment. The same study found that GSE demonstrates a "wide spectrum of activity," including antiviral, antimycotic, and antiprotozoan capacities against many bacteria and viruses, including E.Coli.¹ It was also found to be an effective cleanser as a a pre-surgical soap.¹

Another recent study from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that grapefruit-seed extract was effective in killing over "800 bacterial and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus, and a large number of single and multi-celled parasites."² No other naturally-occuring anti-microbial can come close to these results.

  1. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Pharmazie was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Preservatives was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference E-Book was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Happi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Contamination was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Adulteration was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference preservative_compounds was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pharmazie_2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference synthetic_disinfectants was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference counterfeit_products was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ 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)
  12. ^ 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)
  13. ^ Drewnowski A, Gomez-Carneors C (2000). "Bitter taste, phytonutrients, and consumer: a review". Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 72 (6): 1424–35. PMID 11101467.
  14. ^ Tirillini B (2000). "Grapefruit: the last decade acquisitions". Fitoterapia. 71: 29–37. doi:10.1016/S0367-326X(00)00176-3. PMID 10930710.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Vitamin C. American Cancer Society. 2009.
  17. ^ The World's Healthiest Foods; Grapefruit. The George Mateljan Foundation. 2009.
  18. ^ 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)
  19. ^ 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)
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ 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)
  22. ^ 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)
  23. ^ 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)
  24. ^ a b Bakalar, Nicholas. Experts Reveal the Secret Powers of Grapefruit Juice. The New York Times. March 21, 2006.
  25. ^ Cite error: The named reference artificial_grapefruit_seed_extract was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  26. ^ 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)
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