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A Prickly Pair of Herbs for Weight-loss - Hoodia & Opuntia With all that is said and done on the subject of obesity, there is still the potential for natural remedies to emerge or resurface from their ancient roots to help the condition, either pure and simply of themselves or their derivatives - one such herb is ‘Hoodia’. It is not some magic slimming pill that does not require sticking to a sensible diet and exercise regime, but an herb derived ‘appetite suppressant’ that continues in the process of research.
Gordon’s hoodia (Hoodia Gordonii) - Fig. 431 from E. Gilg and K Schumann, “Das Pflanzenreich. Hausschatz des Wissens.” c. 1900 published by Kurt Stuber. 1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Hoodia_gordonii_GS431.png A Cameo Plant Description For the benefit of botanical enthusiasts and gardeners among you, Hoodia (Hoodia gordonii) is a succulent, not a ‘cactus’, and has other relatives that may be grown in gardens e.g. Hoodia ruschii (also called ‘Queen of the Namib’). Hoodias are protected plants, typical of the semi-deserts of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola. There are twenty types of hoodia, but only the Hoodia gordonii variety is believed to contain the natural appetite suppressant agent. Hoodia is described as a ‘Catciform’ because of its notable similarity to the unrelated Cactus family. It used to be treated as a separate plant family Asclepiadaceae – aptly named after ‘Asclepius’, a Greek hero who later became the Greek god of medicine and healing; but the plant is now categorized as belonging to the Apocynaceae family of trees, shrubs or sometimes herbs, usually with milky sap.2 It takes about 5 years before hoodia’s pale purplish flowers appear and the ‘cactiform’ may be harvested. The plants can reach up to 1 metre in height and flaunt eye-catching flowers, some may be flesh coloured and have a strong carrion-like aroma.
Hoodia (Hoodia gordonii) Biedouw Valley, Western Cape, South Africa. Author: Winifred Bruenken (Amrum) 20.10.2005 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodia The western Latin name of the plant came from its discovery by Paterson and Col. R.F. Gordon in December 1778 in the Upington area of South Africa. Mr. Francis Masson, a famous botanist, named the plant Stapelia gordonii, after Colonel Gordon. In 1830 the genus was altered to Hoodia, which was named in honour of Van Hood, a keen succulent grower.3 Hoodia Controversy For some years Hoodia’s potential has suffered from more than one kind of controversy. Anything described as an ‘appetite suppressant’ is open to abuse, especially by those with eating disorders, but that’s not all. In August this year arch debunker, Esther Rantzen4 with Lynn Faulds-Wood5 in an new BBC1 TV programme series, which uncovers scams affecting consumers all over the country, concentrated on false ‘Hoodia’ products as their subject.6 They began by exposing a company behind a weight-loss pill, who claim their product has the ability to “pop fat cells like bubble-wrap”.7 Suffice it to say that Hoodia’s appetite suppressant ‘active agent’ was not present in the bogus pills investigated and tested. Catching charlatans at their game making totally false claims is both justice and makes excellent viewing, unfortunately any bona fide potential for ‘real’ Hoodia’s proper use was overshadowed and likely suffered as a result. It was, of course, not possible in a half-hour programme to focus on much more than the many questionable hoodia products being sold on the internet. At the same time, it is to be hoped that the plant’s natural integrity with its potential to assist overweight and obesity as an ‘appetite suppressant’ has not been terminally damaged. Amongst other things, it should be noted that currently the only location in Africa where Hoodia gordonii is being allowed to be exported is the Western Cape. As of April 2006 the Northern Cape is still shutdown. To best explain officially what has been happening with Hoodia and why, it is suggested to read the World Health Organization’s bulletin ‘Protecting traditional knowledge: the San and hoodia.’8 Also, before purchasing read: ‘Don’t Get Scammed Buying Hoodia Online’.9 The latter article firmly states: “… do not settle for any hoodia that is less than 100% pure South African Hoodia from the Kalahari Desert (reputable suppliers will display their certificates on their websites to prove it). Look for Hoodia that is licensed by the Western Cape Conservation Authority of South Africa. There are two certified documents required to prove the authenticity of pure South African Hoodia; they are the C.I.T.E.S. Certificate and the Analytical Report.” Why is an Appetite Suppressant Useful? In our western lands of plenty, actual hunger is not normally a physical reason why people may incline to overeat. Short of sheer greed, when overeating has become ingrained and the gut is so stretched that if not full there is the real sensation of a vacuum-like hunger screaming out to be filled, there are other more psychological influences that can be at work. Stress, boredom, the sight or smell of food, a social occasion, loneliness, various forms of emotive ‘comfort eating’ and learned habit can all be very real ‘triggers’ for the desire to eat.10 These triggers or psychological ‘signals’ can become so automatic that either the subject is not aware of what kick-starts their craving for food or, if awareness is present, find their personal raison d'être or impetus to eat hard to control. Therefore, an appetite suppressant could be extremely useful for those ‘addicted’ to food. To move from a compulsion to eat versus a conscious decision to eat, and to chose what to eat, involves a lot of determination, ‘will-power’, positive thinking and mind training.11 If you are a demon for Junk Food, allowing that it is not a choice purely promoted by financial concerns, nobody is going to force it down your throat! However, some things in life are more easily said than done. (See: Top Tips for Coping with Cravings).11A In fact, only this week a news bulletin announced that for obese people overeating is like ‘drug addiction’.12 American researchers found that scans on seven overweight people revealed the regions of the brain that controlled satiety were the same as those in drug addicts craving drugs.13 It is hoped by the US team who carried out the research that the findings could potentially help to uncover new treatments for obesity. Dr Gene-Jack Wang, a New York scientist, who led the work said: It gives us another channel to understand how to treat or prevent obesity.14 This type of research does not as yet tell us what initially ‘causes’ overweight and obesity, which by many is thought to be down to the altered foodstuffs and beverages that our bodies in terms of evolution can not assimilate and so do not metabolize in the same way as before food processing, additives and other non-natural contributions to our diet interfered with our natural and organic diet consumed up to and until the early 20th–century. In the meantime, it becomes obvious that an effective appetite suppressant could act in a similar fashion to smokers who use e.g. nicotine chewing-gum to suppress cravings, which may help them to give up their addiction. Hoodia’s Medicinal Story Hoodia is not ‘new’, the San Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert have been using it as an herbal appetite suppressant for generations. Historically, the Bushmen’s primary use of the plant was to eat the cut stem to keep hunger and thirst at bay during long nomadic hunting trips. The herb was also employed for severe abdominal cramps, which may be associated with hunger, and it is reported haemorrhoids, tuberculosis, indigestion, hypertension and diabetes, as well as small infections.15 The more contemporary background of hoodia starts with the observations in 1937 of a Dutch anthropologist studying the San Bushmen, when he noted they used hoodia to suppress appetite. In 1963, scientists at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa’s national laboratory, began studying hoodia. Their initial results were promising, lab animals lost weight after taking hoodia.16 Following on from this, the South African scientists, working with a British company ‘Phytopharm’, isolated the active ingredient in hoodia, a steroidal glycoside, dubbed P57.17 After obtaining a patent in 1995, P57 was licensed to Phytopharm, who have spent more than $20 million on hoodia research. Phytopharm, in turn, sold the development and market rights to the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, best known as makers of ‘Viagra’, for $21 million.18 Pfizer recently returned the rights to hoodia to Phytopharm, who is now collaborating with Unilever.19 Where do the impoverished tribe of the San fit into all this? In 2002, CSIR officially recognized the San Tribes people’s rights over Hoodia, allowing them to take a percentage of the profits and any spin-offs resulting from the marketing of Hoodia.20 South African lawyer, Roger Chennells negotiated royalties on behalf of the 100,000 San tribe of the Kalahari, who are sitting on a potential gold-mine.21 Back in 2003, Mr Chenells was ecstatically happy for the naïve San tribe, who have neither possessions nor any sense of the value of money.22 For the appropriate commercialization of hoodia could cast off the bushmen’s thousands of years of oppression, poverty, social isolation and discrimination. The intention was to create Trust Funds with hoodia royalties for the benefit of their progeny.23 Another obstacle standing in hoodia’s way was that when Pfizer tried to isolate the active ingredients from the extracts to synthesize them, presumably with a view to creating a lucrative appetite suppressant drug, development on P57, the active ingredient of Hoodia, was stopped due to the difficulty of synthesizing P57.24 Added to which, a Pfizer researcher of hoodia stated there were indications of unwanted effects on the liver caused by other components that could not be easily removed from the supplement: “Clearly, hoodia has a long way to go before it can earn approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).”25 There is little published research on hoodia to date, and the writer cannot find any published research papers that endorse this problem, which is not to suggest that it did not exist, but with no other scientific reference found is unable to elucidate the matter further. However, under the terms of the Phytopharm and Unilever collaboration agreement, a five-stage research and development programme of safety and efficacy studies are to be undertaken with a view to bringing hoodia products to market.26 Things are now moving forward. Earlier this year research was carried out using new detection methods of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and liquid chromatography/Ultra Violet (LC/UV), for analysis of P57 from H. gordonii to determine P57 content for quality control.27 What is more, in a press release 10th April 2006, Phytopharm announced that it had successfully completed the first stage of the joint development agreement for H. gordonii extract with Unilever and will now progress to the second stage, which includes clinical safety studies.28 How Does Hoodia Work? Bearing in mind the research which shows that appetite control is sited in the brain, according to Phytopharm’s Dr Richard Dixey, hoodia’s active principle ‘P.57’ works via the part of the brain called the hypothalamus.29 “Within that mid-brain there are nerve cells that sense glucose sugar. When you eat, blood sugar goes up because of the food, these cells start firing and now your are full. What Hoodia gordonii seems to contain is a molecule that is about 10,000 times as active as glucose. It goes to the mid-brain and actually makes those nerve cells fire as if you were full. But you have not eaten. Nor do you want to.”30 Ergo, the effect of an appetite suppressant is that the brain is tricked into thinking there is enough energy (blood sugar), so it no longer requires food, and as a result it switches off the hunger mechanism. The first animal trials for hoodia, involving rats, resulted in the rats ceasing to eat completely.31&32 The first human clinical trial conducted with a morbidly obese group of people, wherein half were given hoodia and half a placebo, after fifteen days resulted in a reduced calorie intake by 1000 calories a day.32 Hoodia is on its Way to Aid Obesity When it comes to controversy hoodia has had a rough ride, but with overweight and obesity’s statistically accelerated steep rising upward incline world-wide, the need for a remedy such as hoodia and its marketing potential are obvious. Hoodia’s derivative is one of the most promising natural plant appetite suppressants in the pipeline, and it is to be hoped that its official ‘safety’ approval will be established by the ongoing research and its practical application will soon be available. It is now planned to use hoodia only as a food additive, using a different weaker formula. Unilever are hoping that the first hoodia-enriched foods could be in the shops by 2008. No indication as to which foodstuffs it would be introduced into has yet been disclosed, but it is thought they could include drinks, food bars and spreads.33 Keep your eyes peeled for further developments on Hoodia. If all goes according to plan, those with serious weight problems may have something important to look forward to in 2008. Another Prickly Herb for Obesity?
Prickly Pears (Opuntia ficus-indica) Manfredonia (Puglia, Italy) between 2004-2005 Photographer: Copyright © Luigi Rignanese Who knows? If the Global Warming barometer keeps rising, you may yet be able to grow Prickly Pears (Opuntia ficus-indica) in your own UK garden sometime in the future. The plant has naturalized very happily in Mediterranean countries where growing conditions suit it. Beware! It can be an insidious weed, although the ‘paddles’ or ‘pads’, (stems) used correctly as a protective shield against the elements for seedlings (the paddles later to be hoiked out) are very useful to gardening in those climes. The plant is complex and interesting. It is a succulent with tissue specialized for water storage. It has small well-defined regions on the plant surface called ‘aeroles’ which are considered to be lateral branches. The spines covering the plant surface are modified leaves that conserve water, conduct water, and protect the succulent tissue from animal predators. The thorn-like sharp spines arising from the areoles, often surrounded by short barbed hairs, are called ‘glochids’.34 Have you sampled the lovely deep red Prickly pear fruits (tunas) from your local green-grocer or supermarket yet? The fruits are spineless when presented at these retail points of sale, but from personal experience, when living in rural Menorca,35 of picking the fruits for ‘pig fodder’ for our local type of Wessex Saddle-backs left behind from the English occupation, prickly pears in the raw need careful handling. Picking the pears, using traditional iron-cupped long-tongs on a bamboo pole with a piece of string attached to secure the fruit, taught a life-time lesson. It’s not only handling the raw fruit that can be hurtful. If there’s a wind when picking prickly pear, spikes fly into the air and land on your skin or work their way through clothing into the skin. They can be very painful – for days! Don’t let that put you off. If you should encounter the deep red coloured fruits ‘rosados’ growing wild when you are abroad; just be careful. The trick is to soak the fruits in a bucket of water overnight to assist the spines to fall off; it also makes it easier to peel off the outer skin of the fruit before consumption. Be it picking a sweet fresh orange, warm to the touch, from a growing tree or a prickly pear off a cactus bathed in sunshine, it is going to taste a treat and be well worth the effort. Viva la differencia! A Snapshot of Prickly Pear History Various species of prickly pears flourish throughout much of Mexico and are now found in abundance in the Southwest and Western United States. They are the most cold-tolerant of the cacti, extending north into southern Canada.36 One variety (Opuntia fragilis var. fragilis) has even expanded as far as northern Canada.37 Opuntia has a long history. Evidence exists for the use of the plant as human food at least 9,000 years ago and probably before cultivation, possibly even as early as 12,000 years ago, which would be around (before and after) when the last Ice Age ended.38 There is also evidence that the pre-Columbian Incas39 cultivated and produced cochineal40 from the insect of the same name (Dactylopius coccus) that lives on Opuntia, and which produces a natural dye. O. ficus-indica and other Opuntia and Nopalea species have been grown as ‘host plants’ for cochineal insects since pre-Columbian times. Cochineal is primarily used as a natural food colouring and for cosmetics. Now you know the origin of where the vivid ‘red and purple’ colours in your lipstick came from. ‘Indian Fig’ (Opuntia ficus indica), is a species of the cactus family (Cactaceae) said to originate from Mesoamérica,41 from whence it was introduced into Cuba, Hispaniola,42 and other Caribbean islands where early European explorers first came across the plant. It is thought that the species accompanied Christopher Columbus on his first return journey to Lisbon in 1493.43 According to recorded history of the Old World, ‘prickly pear’ was certainly known at the beginning of the 16th-century.44 Prickly pear was named Cactus Opuntia and Cactus ficus-indica by Linnaeus45 in his two-volume work “Species Plantarum”, first published in 1753. Later, in 1768, Miller45A combined the two names and the plant became called Opuntia ficus-indica. How exciting it must have been in those inspirational days to be a plant collector; to discover weird and exotic plants, unknown and unseen botanical wonders, even if living conditions were rather whiffy. It was not a world for wusses! How life has changed. Perhaps the nearest thing to capturing such a sense of marvel at our world might be the excitement of discovering a cure for a disease in a laboratory from such plants to get a similar buzz! The world owes past pioneer plant collectors a debt of unending gratitude. Prickly Pear Uses These days our prickly pear (Indian Fig Opuntia) is cultivated for food. It is grown primarily as a domesticated sweet fruit crop (tunas), but also its vegetable ‘napolitos’ or ‘paddles’, (the ‘cladodes’ or stem segments), that is cultivated in regions such as northern Africa, Algeria, Australia, Brazil, Caribbean regions, Chile, Israel and Mexico, as well as being a familiar stand-by of farmers or handy secondary crop to feed animals in the Mediterranean Basin countries. An update on the use of prickly pear’s traditional provision of cochineal natural dyes is that, in an effort to supply the growing consumer demand for natural and healthy foodstuffs, manufacturers have been looking for alternatives to artificial food colours such as Sunset Yellow, Tartrazine and Quinoline Yellow. This summer a team of German scientists from Hohenheim University, working on extracts from cactus pears that are rich in betalains, the class of compounds hitherto almost exclusively exploited from red beet, announced that cactus pear has natural, water-soluble, orange and yellow pigments for food colourings that could offer “a new valuable source of colour preparations” to the food industry. The prickly pear’s betalains are scientifically proven to be antioxidant and could soon be colouring a wide range of foods.46 Prickly pear has a variety of other uses. The artist Diego Rivera used cactus gel to preserve his paintings.47 The plant is used as a binding and waterproofing agent in adobe48 structures, such as houses. Also, “The cactus can be used to make a highly effective water-proof paint for homes. It was mostly used in the 16th-18th-centuries for painting churches and convents. The smooth paint gave a shiny, silk-like finish if white of eggs were added to the mixtures.”49 Now there’s a challenge, if you live in a prickly pear growing area, for home decoration enthusiasts! Prickly pear can be grown into hedges and fences to form a wall of spiny pads protruding at all angles, which in time forms a ‘barrier’ that will repel any intruder larger than a rabbit. It may also be used for erosion control in deforested areas.50 Sap (gel) from paddles can be used for first aid, not unlike Aloe Vera, and as a mosquito repellent. The extract is used in beauty products, such as shampoo, conditioners, creams and lotions.51 The juice and gel have also become popular inclusions in products for sun skin-care. Prickly Pear’s Medicinal Values
Flowering Prickly Pears (Opuntia ficus-indica) Manfredonia (Italy) 21st May 2005 Photographer: Copyright © Luigi Rignanese For other information re: Prickly Pears (See Archived News Items: ‘Got a Hangover – Feeling Prickly’ Herbsphere www.herbsphere.com ) Medicinal properties of O. ficus-indica have been documented as early as 1552 - including use as a hangover cure.52 The fruits are packed with goodies to boost immunity and are high in vitamins A (beta-carotene), and also vitamin C.53 They also contain significant portions of the minerals calcium, magnesium and potassium; also a large proportion of antioxidant compounds, including flavonoids,54 that help protect against cancer and are chiefly responsible for protecting the body against the oxidation of cholesterol. It should, however, be noted that research has found that although nopales (pads) are enriched in a number of minerals, their tissue calcium is not freely available. 55 The pulp’s pectin, believed to reduce cholesterol, and the plant’s fibres help keep blood sugar level steady and assist in managing diabetes and alleviate inflammations. The cactus pads are a storehouse of nutrients that include minerals potassium magnesium, calcium and iron. They are particularly high in vitamin A (beta-carotene) in levels comparable to spinach (a cup of boilded spinach provides 294.8% of the RDA for vitamin A), and high in vitamin C. The pads also contain a full range of amino acids, including the eight essential amino acids not manufactured by the body, and the flowers are used as herbs. 56 There is a need for more prickly pear research, for although commonly used natural products with a long history of traditional use are not eschewed by pharmacists, in 2002 it was stated by e.g. the California College of Pharmacy regarding the use of prickly pear for diabetes that, “pharmacists who have a stronger understanding of these products are better positioned to counsel patients on their appropriate use.”57 Many of the claims made for prickly pear are from traditional and current herbal usage, but have not yet been thoroughly scientifically investigated. Conversely, prickly pear use is alive and well in Mexico. In 1999, research to explore the degree of usage of therapeutic medical plants among patients, physicians and health workers in a local Family Medical Care Unit of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) 58 was revealing. It was found that 83% of family physicians accept the therapeutic use of herbal medicines; moreover, 75% use it as a therapeutic resource, and health workers acceptance of use was 100%. The data, which was gathered in urban areas where physicians have been trained in the biomedical paradigm of medicine, seemed not to cause disquiet regarding the use of prickly pear cladodes (pads), the vegetative parts of the Opuntia species.59 Prickly pear seems slowly, but surely, to be piercing through the medical establishment’s reservations. Back in 1998 French researchers said that: “prickly pear is a neglected nutritional source which should be more widely used because of its potential nutrient contribution.”60 This year, in a US review, researchers found from recent studies on the Opuntia species that it demonstrated cactus pear fruit and vegetative cladodes are excellent candidates for the development of healthy food, with particular emphasis in its use as food and medicine.61 Another string to prickly pear’s bow is that, as well as prickly pear’s potential to help combat heart disease via cholesterol62 control; its juice has also shown antioxidant activity and inhibited ulcerogenic activity in animals, 63 which may be useful to human gastric ulcers. It also holds promise as a liver protectant.63A Prickly pears’ skin and wound healing attributes may also cause it to be taken rather more seriously than for cosmetic use alone; latest research confirms that prickly pear’s ‘pads/cladodes’ are indeed a good First Aid accessory for skin lesions.64 For many, the best news is that it can aid ‘weight-loss’. The prickly pear market was static during the 1960s and 1970s, but the ‘weight loss’ attribute is one of three factors as to why the number of prickly pear exports to the United States have soared in recent time, according to Joaquin Castillo Tapia, a Mexico City exporter. The first is the increase of Mexican immigrants now in the United States, as Mexicans already use prickly pear for food and medicine. The second is that it helps people lose weight! And, thirdly, the nutritional values of the cactus has been accepted there for a very long time.65 Prickly Pear Takes a Slender Bow In a Nutra-ingredient Europe article December 2005, it was reported that the French firm BioSerae has gained organic certification (Ecocert.) for its cactus fibre ‘NeOpuntia’, a slimming product.66 NeOpuntia, thought to work in a similar way to chitosan67 by binding fat in the gut, is already a natural alternative to the shellfish-derived fibre, as it is derived from dehydrated ‘pads’ of the Opuntia ficus-indica cactus using a chemical- and solvent-free process. Comparative studies on a chitosan brand and NeOpuntia suggest that the cactus fibre is more effective in eliminating fat from the body, although (please note) none of these researches have been published in a peer-reviewed journal. It was also reported that BioSerae was working on carrying out a clinical trial this year, after completing a small pilot study.68 More recently, it was brought to the writer’s attention by a friendly prickly pear enthusiast in Arizona, that BioSerae conducted a monocentric, randomized, placebo-controlled, and in parallel double-blind format study this summer.69 The six-week trial was conducted in Brittany, France, and involved 68 female participants with metabolic syndrome70 and body mass index between 25 and 40. [Adults Overweight BMI 25-29.9; Obesity BMI 30 or greater.]71 Many overweight and obese people have metabolic syndrome. Half of the participants received 1.6m of NeOpuntia per meal in the form of capsules, and the other half received a placebo. All participants also adhered to a well-balanced diet.72 Researchers studied changes in cholesterol (LDL and HDL) and triglyceride levels, and the participants were evaluated for metabolic syndrome at the beginning and at the end of the trial.73 After three days, those taking NeOpuntia were seen to have a 10% reduction in LDL cholesterol compared to only 3% in those taking the placebo.74 Plus the HDL cholesterol levels were seen to improve in the NeOpuntia group, a factor for reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.75 The effect on HDL cholesterol and on triglycerides was particularly apparent in pre-menopausal women aged 45 years or older.76 At the end of the six-week period 60% of the women taking NeOpuntia were diagnosed as being free from metabolic syndrome, whereas 30% of those solely on the well-balanced diet and placebo were metabolic syndrome free.77 The study has not yet been published in a scientific journal, but a BioSerae spokesperson has said that discussions to publish are in progress.78 Let us hope all goes well and when the research is published it will confirm the above findings, and will validate prickly pear as an aid to weight-loss, which can produce another avenue of approach for those who are overweight or obese to lose weight and become more healthy. Keep a sharp look-out for further prickly pear developments. Good Enough to Eat Prickly pear is not just good animal fodder, it’s good human food that is high in vitamin C and has B vitamins; plus fibre (cellulose and lignin), which is used in Optuntia products to aid digestion and monitor regularity.79 There are very few plants in the botanical kingdom that are as a vegetable, fruit and flower that can offer so much, and importantly is an excellent source of medicine. Prickly pear is still very popular in Mexico, and according to Mexican agriculture statistics, the average Mexican consumes about 15lbs. of prickly pear annually.80 Most culinary uses refer to Opuntia ficus-indicus. The pads can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable, which are said to taste like green beans, and be eaten raw in salads. The thorns are shaved off before using, then the ‘pads’ may be simmered until tender and used in salads, scrambled eggs and other dishes. Nectar and candies (sweets) are made from the juice and pulp of the plant’s fruit (tuna) or it can be eaten much like other exotic fruits.81 If you are holidaying in the Med., you can add sliced or cubed pads to omelettes, or cook the fruit into jelly. For those living in prickly pear territory, even the seeds can be eaten in soups or dried and ground into flour.82 If prickly pear cuisine grabs you, there is a ‘Cactus Cookbook’ by Joyce L. Tate, available from the Cactus and Succulent Society of America, with recipes ranging from appetizers, soups, and salads through entrees, vegetable dishes and breads to desserts, beverages, and candies.83 Prickly pear fruit is not unknown or new to all Brits. Charmingly, in a personal account by one WWII veteran a ‘Tobruk rat’ at the age of 94, amidst the hell of war recalled: “There were prickly pears [fruits] which we ate, peeling back the cactus like skin, and tasting like a cross between a banana and an orange.”84 It must have tasted marvellous. Some recommend a squeeze of lemon or lime juice helps to bring out the flavour of the fruit. When you can buy them in the grocer’s or supermarkets, why not have a stab at Prickly pear fruit ice-cream85. Go wild and make some Prickly pear liqueur for special occasions, 86 or impress your friends with new-fangled prickly pear cocktails.87 Prickly pear is the official State plant of Texas, and is no stranger to gourmets. If you have prickly pear plants handy try ‘Nopalitos (pads) with pork’ for a meat dish or with seafood, ‘Red Snapper and Nopalitos in Cilantro Sauce’.88 In summer you could sample prickly pear in ‘Southwestern Pimm’s Cup’ drink; ‘Cactus Salad’ followed by ‘Candied Nopalitos’89; in winter ‘Chorizo Soup with Cactus’, spicy and warming.90 If nothing else, don’t miss out on a new taste sensation the next time you see prickly pear fruit for sale. References: 1. Name ‘Hoodia gordonii’: http://www.plantzafrica.com/planthij/hoodgord.htm 2. ‘Hoodia’: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodia 3. ‘Hoodia gordonii’: http://www.plantzafrica.com/planthij/hoodgord.htm 4. Esther Rantzen: A British journalist and television presenter, best known for her long stint in ‘That’s Life!’ and her activities as founder of the charity ChildLine. In 1991 she was created an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) for services to broadcasting, and received honorary doctorates from Southampton Institute and the South Bank University for the creation of Childline and her career as a broadcaster. She was elevated to Commander of the British Empire (CBE) 17th June 2006. 5. Lynn Faulds-Wood: Television presenter, investigative, as well as newspaper and magazine journalist, and consumer champion. Raising awareness campaigner of bowel cancer disease. She has received a number of industry awards for her journalism and was given an honorary degree by Glasgow Caledonian University in 2004. 6. ‘Old Dogs, New Tricks’ BBC1 TV 17th August 2006. 7. Ibid. 8. ‘Protecting traditional knowledge: the San and hoodia’ – http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862006000500008 & ‘Protecting traditional knowledge: the San and hoodia’. Bull World Health Organ. 2006 May; 84(5):345. Epub 2006 May 1 7. [No authors listed] 9. ‘Don’t Get Scammed Buying Hoodia Online’ From the desk of Rebecca Lockhart, “Radio Health” (Senior Reviewer), 29th May 2006 – http://ww.radiohealth.net/hoodiagordonii.html?gclid=CIfOpIOInoUCFURBEAodEzYilw 10. ‘Coping with Bad Days’ by Lyndel Costain, BBC Health Online, article was last medically reviewed by Dr. rob Hicks in October 2005. First published in May 2001. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/your_weight/reaching_bad.shtml 11. Ibid. 11A. (See ‘Top Tips for Coping with Cravings’) - http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/your_weight/reaching_bad.shtml 12. Overeating ‘like drug addiction’ – BBC News Online 3.10.2006. 13. ‘Similarity between obesity and drug addiction as assessed by neurofunctional imaging: a concept review.’ Wang GJ, Volkow ND, Thanos PK, Fowler JS. Medical Dept., Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, USA. J Addict Dis. 2004; 23(3):39-53. Also, work published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA. 14. Overeating ‘like drug addiction’ – BBC News Online 3.10.2006. 15. ‘Hoodia review – Does hoodia work for weight loss? – What you need to know about hoodia gordonii’ from Cathy Wong N.D., http://altmedicine.about.com/od/popularhealthdiets/a/hoodia1.htm & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodia & other sources. 16. Ibid. 17. Ibid. 18. Ibid 19. Ibid. 20. Hoodia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodia 21. ‘Sampling the Kalahari cactus diet’ By Tom Mangold, BBC Two’s Correspondent. BBC News Online 30th May 2003. Tom Mangold travelled to Africa and sampled the appetite suppressing Hoodia, a plant which may make Kalahari bushmen millionaires. 22. Ibid. 23. Ibid. 24. Hoodia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodia 25. ‘A Popular Pill’s Hidden Danger’ - ‘To the Editor’ Jasjit S Bindra, Groton. Conn. The New York Times, pub. 26th April 2005. 26. Phytopharm Press Release 10th April 2006 - http://www.phytopharm.co.uk/press/Rel11920060410.htm 27. ‘Determination of the appetite suppressant P57 in Hoodia gordonii plant extracts and dietary supplements by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-MSD-TOF) and LC-UV methods.’ Avula B, Wang YH, et al. National Centre for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Uv. of Mississippi, MS, USA. J AOAC Int. 2006 May-Jun; 89(3):606-11. 28. Phytopharm Press Release 10th April 2006 - http://www.phytopharm.co.uk/press/Rel11920060410.htm 29. Hypothalamus: is a region of the mammalian brain located below the thalamus, forming the major portion of the region of the diencephalon (the posterior division of the forebrain) governing the autonomic nervous system. It links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland (located at the base of the brain), also known as the “master gland”, by synthesizing and secreting neuro-hormones, often called releasing hormones (hormones released by nerve impulses), as needed that control the secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary gland. The neurons are linked to the limbic system, which is primarily involved in the control of emotions and sexual activity, but it also controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, and circadian cycles. Limbic system: Sometimes referred to as the ‘old brain’ includes structures in the human brain involved in emotion, motivation, and emotional association with memory. The limbic system influences the formation of memory by integrating emotional states with stored memories of physical sensations. 30. ‘Sampling the Kalahari cactus diet’ By Tom Mangold, BBC Two’s Correspondent. BBC News Online 30th May 2003. 31. ‘Increased ARP content/production in the hypothalamus may be a signal for energy-sensing of satiety: studies of the anorectic mechanism of a plant steroidal glycoside.’ MacLean DB, Lou LG. Div. of Endocrinology, Hallett Centre for diabetes and Endocrinology, Brown Medical School, Coco Building Providence, RI, USA. Brain Res. 2004 Sep 10; 1020(1-2): 1.11. 32. ‘Sampling the Kalahari cactus diet’ By Tom Mangold, BBC Two’s Correspondent. BBC News Online 30th May 2003. 33. ‘Could cacti be the key to dieting?’ by JulieWheldon, Science Correspondent, D. Mail 11th April 2006. 34. The Prickly Pear Cactus – Botany Global Issue Map McGraw Hill http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/botany/botany_map/articles/article_23.html 35. Menorca (Islas Baleares): The island’s occupation goes back to the Bronze Age and has been occupied by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Byzantine and the Moors, from which latter is was liberated by Alfonso III on 17th January 1287. In 1708 Menorca was captured by the British navy during the War of the Spanish Succession and became a British possession. It was under British rule that lasted until the beginning of the 19th century, with the exception of two brief periods under French rule. During the Seven Years’ War, the French laid siege to Menorca 1756, the Battle of Menorca, which the British navy failed to lift and occupied the island for 17 years. British rule was restored by the Treaty of Paris 1763. During the American Revolutionary War, the British were defeated for a second time by French and Spanish forces that captured the island 1782. Menorca was recovered again in 1798 by the British during the French Revolutionary Wars. The Island was ultimately ‘ceded’ to Spain permanently by the Treaty of Amiens in 1802. The British influence of the powerful Georgian period can be seen in the local architecture, especially the Army Barracks at Villa Carlos (Charles Town). 36. Opuntia (Prickly Pear): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia 37. Ibid. 38. Ice Age: is used to refer to cold periods with extensive ice sheets over the North American and Eurasian continents: in this sense the last ice age ended about 10,000 years ago. If ‘ice age’ is used to refer to long, generally cool, intervals during which glaciers advance and retreat, we are still in one today. Our modern climate represents a very short, warm period between glacial advances. (See ‘Incas’ & ‘Pre-Incas’.) 39. Inca: The Inca Empire arose in the highlands of Peru c.1200 and from 1438-1533 assimilated, by war and peaceful means, territory to incorporate a large portion of western South America. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incas Incas: were the leaders of the largest American Empire. At the end of the 14th –century the empire began to expand from its initial territory in the Cuzco area, the southern Andean mountains of South America, which expansion ended brutally with the Spanish invasion led by Francisco Pizarro 1532. At the time of its surrender, the Empire ruled over a population estimated at 12 million people, which represents today Peru and Ecuador, a big part of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. Pre-Incas: First inhabitants of Peru were nomad hunters who lived in caverns in the regions of the Peruvian coast. The oldest site, the cavern Pikimachay, dates from 12,000BC. Cotton, corn, beans and peppers were cultivated since the year 4,000BC; later, the most advanced cultures as the Chavin, introduced fishing, agriculture and religion. http://www.tierra-inca.com/peru/per_preinca.php?lg=en 40. Cochineal: The cochineal insect lives on cacti of the Opuntia genus and feeds on moisture and nutrients in the cacti. The insect produces carminic acid as a predator deterrent. The carminic acid can be extracted from the insect’s body and eggs to make the natural ‘red’ dye. ‘Spanish red: an ethonogeographical study of cochineal and the Opuntia cactus.’ Donkin, R. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 1997; 67: 1-77. 41. Mesoamérica: a term used to refer to a geographical region and similarities of the cultural disposition of its people that spread through interaction over millennia. It roughly encompasses from the Tropic of Cancer in Central Mexico, down through Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua to north-western Costa Rica. 42. Hispaniola: is the second largest island of the Antilles. Christopher Columbus arrived there 5th December 1492. On his second voyage in 1493 he founded the first Spanish colony of the New World on the island. 43. Opuntia (Prickly Pear): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opuntia 44. Ibid. 45. Linnaeus (1707-1778): Also known after he was ennobled as Carl von Linné, was a Swedish botantist, physician and zoologist. He laid the foundations for modern plant nomenclature and is known as the ‘father of modern taxonomy’. His two-volume work Species Plantarum, first published in 1753, is an extremely important record because it contained all plants then known. 45A. Philip Miller (1691-1771) Botanist: was chief gardener at the Chelsea Physic Garden from 1721 until shortly before his death. He wrote The Gardener’s and Florists Dictionary or a Complete System of Horticulture (1724) and The Gardener’s Dictionary containing the Methods of Cultivating and Improving the Kitchen Fruit and Flower Garden (1731). Miller was reluctant to use the new binomial nomenclature of Carolus Linnaeus, preferring the classifications of Joseph Pitton de Tournefort and John Ray at first. He only fully changed to the Linnaean system in the 8th edition of The Gardener’s Dictionary in 1768. 46. ‘Scientists look to cactus pear for natural yellows for food.’ By Stephen Daniells, Food Navigator: Europe, 13th June 2006 - http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?id=68378-yellow-colouring-cactus-pear ‘Antioxidant activities of Sicilian Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica) fruit extracts and reducing properties of its betalains: betanin and indicazanthin.’ Butera D, Tesoriere L, et al. Dipartimento Farmacochimico Tossicologico e Biologico, Facolta di Farmacia, Universita di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. J. Agric Food Chem. 2002 Nov 6; 50(23):6895-901. ‘Colour, betalain pattern, and antioxidant properties of cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) clones.’ Stintzing FC, Herbach KM, et al. Institute of Food Tech., Section Plant Foodstuff Tech., Hohenheim Uv., Stuttgart, Germany. J Agric Food Chem. 2005 Jan 26; 53(2):442-51. 47. Diego Rivera (8.12.1886-24.11.1957), i.e. Diego Maria de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Scosts y Rodriguez, was a Mexican painter and muralist. Best known for painting a vast mural in the 1930s featuring early communist leaders juxtaposed with the Founding Fathers of the US in the Rockefeller Building, which was destroyed by Rockefeller’s staff before it could be completed there. 48. Adobe: is a natural building material composed of sand, sandy clay and straw or other organic materials, which is shaped into bricks using wooden framed and dried in the sun. It is similar to cob and mud-brick. Adobe structures are extremely durable and account for the oldest extant buildings on the planet. 49. ‘Prickly pear cactus crop with multiple uses.’ The Hindu, Agricultural Correspondent, 27th June 2002. Quote: Ms. Margarita Barney de Cruz, President of the Group to Promote Education and Sustainable Development (GRUPEDSAC), a pioneering non-governmental organization in Naucalpan, Mexico. 50. ‘Prickly Pear Cactus’ - http://www.rain.org/greennet/docs/exoticveggies/html/pricklypear.htm 51. Ibid. 52. ‘Herb Helps Alcohol Hangover.’ Barclay. L. - Medscape Medical News, 2004. 53. ‘Supplementation with cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)fruit decreases oxidative stress in healthy humans: a comparative study with vitamin C.’ Tesoriere L, Butera D, et al. Dipartimento Farmacochimico Tossicologico e Biologico, Facolta di Farmacia, Universita di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. Am J Clin Nutr. 20045 Aug; 80(2):391-5. 54. ‘Anti-inflammatory flavonoids from Opuntia dillenii (Ker-Gaw) Haw, flowers growing in Egypt.’ Ahmed MS, El Tanbouly ND, et al. Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacognosy Dept., Cairo Uv., Egypt. Phytother Res. 2005 Sep; 19(9):807-9. NB Different spp. 55. ‘Oxalate reduces calcium availability in the pads of the prickly pear cactus through formation of calcium oxalate crystals.’ McConnMM, Nakata PA. USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Centre, Dept. of Paediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Texas, USA. J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Mar 10; 52(5):1371-4 56. Prickly Pear Cactus Medicine (Treatments for Diabetes, Cholesterol, and the Immune System.’ - http://www.mexgrocer.com/50048.html 57. ‘Natural products used for diabetes.’ Shapiro K, Gong WC. College of Pharmacy, Western Uv. of Health Sciences, Pomona, Calif. USA. J Am Pharm Assoc (Wash). 2002 Mar-Apr; 42(2): 217-26. 58. [Acceptance and use of medicinal plants in family medicine] Taddi-Bringas GA, Santillana-Macedo MA, et al. Unidad de Medicine Familiar No.37, Instituto Mexicano del Sugur Social (IMSS), Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Salud Publica Mex. 1999 May-Jun; 41(3):216-20. [Article in Spanish] 59. Ibid. 60. ‘Composition of pulp, skin and seeds of prickly pears fruit (Opuntia ficus indica sp.). El Kossori RL, Villaume C, et al. Institut national de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale, U308, Euipe de Recherches Aliment et Comportement, Nancy, France. Plant Foods Hum. Nutr. 1998; 52(3):263-70. 61. ‘Nutritional and medicinal use of Cactus pear (Opuntia spp.) cladodes and fruits.’ Feugang JM, Konaeski P, et al. Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Uv. of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA. Front Biosci. 2006 Sep 1; 11:2564-89. ‘Cactus stems (Opuntia spp.): a review of their chemistry, technology, and uses.’ Stintzing FC, Carle R. Hohenheim Uv. , Institute of Food Tech., Plant Foodstuff Tech., Stuttgart, Germany. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2005 Feb; 49(2): 175-94. 62. ‘Glycoprotein (90 kDa) isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten MAKINO lowers plasma lipid level through scavenging of intracellular radicals in Triton WR-1339-induced mice.’ Oh PS, Lim KT. Molecular Biochemistry Laboratory, Institut of Biotech., Chonnam National Uv., Kwangiu, South Korea. Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Jul; 29(7):1391-6. ‘Effect of prickly pear (Opuntia robusta) on glucose- and lipid-metabolism in non-diabetics with hyperlipidemia – a pilot study. ‘ Wolfram RM, Kritz H. Dept. of Angiology, Uv. of Vienne, Austria. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2002 Oct 31; 114(19-20):840-6. ‘Prickly pear (Opuntia sp.) pectin reverses low density lipoprotein receptor suppression induced by a hyperchoelsterolemic diet in guinea pigs.’ Fernandez ML, Lin EC, et al. Dept. of Nutrition and Food Science, Uv. of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA. J Nutr. 1992 Dec; 122(12):2330-40. 63. ‘Chemical characterization and biological effects of Sicilian Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. Fruit juice: antioxidant and anti-ulcerogenic activity.’ Galati EM, Mondello MR, et al. Pharmaco-Biological Dept., Uv. of Messina, Vill, SS, Messina, Italy. J. Agric Food Chem. 2003 Aug 13; 51(17):4903-8/ ‘Study on the increment of the production of gastric mucus in rats treated with Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. Cladodes.’ Galati EM, et al. Pergolizzi S. School of Pharmacy, Pharmaco-Biological Dept., Uv. of Messina, Vill, SS, Messina, Italy. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Dec; 83(3):229-33. ‘Antiulcer activity of Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. (Cactaceae): ultra-structural study.’ Galati EM, Monforte MT, et al., Pharmaco-Biological Dept., Uv. of Messina, Vill, SS, Messina, Italy. J Ethnopharmacol. 2001Jun; 76(1):1-9. 63A. ‘Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. Fruit juice protects liver from carbon tetrachloride-induced injury.’ Galati EM, Mondello MR, et al. Pharmaco-Biological Dept., School of Pharmacy, Uv. of Messina, Vill. SS Annunziata, Italy. Phytoher Res. 2005 Sep; 19(9): 796-800. 64. ‘Effect of polysaccharides from Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) cladodes on the healing of dermal wounds in the rat.’ Trombetta D, Puglia C, et al. Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Uv. of Catania, Italy. Phytomedicine. 2006 May; 13(5): 352-8. Epub 2005 Sep 13. 65. ‘Cactus Market Heats Up’, by Loui Olivas, Asst. vice-President for Academic Affairs at ASU. The Arizona Republic, 6th July 2004. 66. ‘BioSerae boosts market advantage with organic cert for cactus fibre.’ By Dominique Patton. NUTRA Ingredients Europe - 22.12.2005 http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=64743-bioserae-cactus-slimming 67. Chitosan: is a healing substance from chitin, which is a substance derived from the ‘chitin’ of crab, lobster, and other crustaceans, used to stop bleeding and encourage healing; as a moisturizer and dietary supplement. Chitin: is one of the main components in the cell walls of fungi, the exoskeletons of insects and other arthropods, and in some other animals. It is a polysaccharide. Chitin is an unusual substance as it is a naturally occurring polymer. It also has some unusual properties in that it accelerates healing in wounds in humans. 68. ‘BioSerae boosts market advantage with organic cert for cactus fibre.’ By Dominique Patton. NUTRA Ingredients Europe - 22.12.2005 http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=64743-bioserae-cactus-slimming 69. ‘BioSerae extends NeOpuntia uses with metabolic syndrome study.’ By Jess Halliday, 29.9.2006. Nutra Ingredients.com bulletin. 70. Metabolic Syndrome (also known as Syndrome X): is described as a collection of conditions that increase risk of lifestyle-related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. To have metabolic syndrome a subject must have 3 of the following: high fasting glucose levels, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood triglyceride levels; and low HDL (High Density Lipoprotein). 71. BMI: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/defining.htm 72. ‘BioSerae extends NeOpuntia uses with metabolic syndrome study.’ By Jess Halliday, 29.9.2006. Nutra Ingredients.com bulletin. 73. Ibid. 74. Ibid. 75. Ibid. 76. Ibid. 77. Ibid. 78. Ibid. 79. The Prickly Pear Cactus - http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/botany/botany_map/articles/article_23.html 80. ‘Cactus Market Heats Up’, by Loui Olivas, Asst. vice-President for Academic Affairs at ASU. The Arizona Republic, 6th July 2004. 81. ‘Prickly Pear Cactus’ - http://www.rain.org/greennet/docs/exoticveggies/html/pricklypear.htm 82. Ibid. 83. Ibid. Re: Cactus Cookbook: The Cactus and Succulent Society of America. An international organization dedicated to education, protection and preservation of some of Nature’s most unique creations. http://www.cssainc.org/ 84. ‘I was a Tobruk rat, and still am at 94 years of age’ – WWII Veteran: Reginald William Copper, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, at The Siege of Tobruk 1940. http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/68/a4513268.shtml 85. Prickly Pear Ice-cream – From Anissa Helou’s Lebanese Cuisine - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/food/recipe220.shtml 86. Prickly pear liqueur - http://www.liqueurweb.com/fruitrecipes.htm “… In Southern Italy, the fruit of the Opuntia genus cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) is used extensively. It is even fermented and distilled to produce a liquor. It does not have a high sugar content though - only 4.2%. A liqueur made by infusing the fruit in alcohol is a specialty of southern Italy. In Sardinia where it is known as 'figu morisca' they also add lemon zest to the liqueur. Here is a recipe for the 'Liquore di fico d'india' from an Italian site. .” 87. Old and New-Fangled Cocktails – http://www.andyboy.com/products/prickly_pear/index.html 88. The Gourmet Sleuth – http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/ListWebSites.asp?RunReport=Run+Report&Selstart1=CR 89. Ibid. 90. Ibid.
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